Ian Cramer, the son of North Dakota U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, was sentenced to 28 years in prison on Monday for his role in the death of a Mercer County sheriff’s deputy during a high-speed chase in December 2023, The Bismarck Tribune reports. Cramer pleaded guilty to felony charges of homicide while fleeing a peace officer, fleeing from a felony offense, preventing arrest and reckless endangerment. Charges were filed against Cramer after a series of incidents led him to Hazen, 70 miles northwest of Bismarck, where he fled from police and hit speeds over 100 mph on state Highway 200, authorities said. About 3 miles outside of town, a Beulah officer deployed spike strips that flattened the two tires on the driver’s side of the Chevy Tahoe that Cramer was driving. Cramer continued on and about a half mile down the highway came upon Mercer County Deputy Paul Martin and Beulah Police Chief Frank Senn, who had deployed more tire deflation devices and taken cover behind their vehicles.
The Tahoe veered and crashed head-on into Martin’s patrol vehicle, striking Martin and launching him 100 feet into the ditch. Monday’s sentencing hearing was held before a standing-room only crowd as more than two dozen friends, family members and supporters of Martin packed the courtroom in the Mercer County Courthouse. They were joined by several members of both the Mercer and McLean County sheriff’s departments and several members of the North Dakota Highway Patrol. Many among them knew Martin personally and could be called the “extended family” referred to by Mercer County State’s Attorney Todd Schwarz. Also present were Ian Cramer’s parents, Kris and Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and his sisters. Schwarz introduced a video presentation prepared by Alex Droske of the state Bureau of Criminal Investigation. “The video is graphic,” Schwarz told South Central District Judge Bobbi Weiler. “It’s evidence that would have been introduced had this case gone to trial.” The video, compiled of body camera and in-car footage taken from a Mercer County deputy and Martin’s patrol car, showed the minutes leading up to the crash and the immediate aftermath as officers tried to render aid to the injured deputy.
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