Ian Cramer, the son of Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), was sentenced to 28 years in prison on Monday for the death of a sheriff’s deputy during a police chase last year.
The 43-year-old pleaded guilty to nine charges, including homicide while fleeing a peace officer, reckless endangerment, and drug possession, related to the pursuit that ended with Deputy Paul Martin, 53, being killed in a crash.
State District Judge Bobbi Weiler noted that Cramer is unlikely to serve the full 28 years, explaining that he would likely serve a smaller portion of the sentence before being eligible for parole.
The North Dakota Highway Patrol stated that Martin was struck and killed by a Mercer County sheriff’s patrol vehicle after Cramer crashed into it while trying to evade arrest. No reports from Cramer’s attorney, Kevin McCabe, and no immediate response was given from the state’s attorney or Sen. Cramer’s spokesperson.
The senator previously stated that his son suffers from serious mental health issues, including paranoia and hallucinations.