The son of North Dakota US Senator Kevin Cramer now faces four felony charges and a misdemeanor charge after a Mercer County deputy was killed in a traffic incident.
Ian Cramer is charged in Mercer County with manslaughter, fleeing an officer, resisting arrest and reckless endangerment – all felonies – and a misdemeanor count of driving under suspension.
A statement from Sen. Cramer said Ian has been suffering from mental illness. The statement said his mother, Kris, had taken Ian to Sanford in Bismarck, and pulled their SUV into the ambulance bay. When Kris left the car, Ian jumped into the driver’s seat, and took off, damaging the ambulance entrance garage.
The SUV was tracked because of a cell phone in the vehicle.
When the Highway Patrol and Mercer County Sheriff’s department tried to stop Cramer on Highway 200 west of Beulah, Ian lost control of the vehicle and slammed into a parked Mercer County Sheriff’s vehicle. The impact caused the squad to strike deputy Paul Martin – killing him.
Cramer is to make his first court appearance today (Friday).