Son of U.S. Senator Cramer facing five charges in death of Mercer County Deputy
Steve Hallstrom
Special to The Farmer
The son of U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) faces five criminal charges after a traffic accident that killed a Mercer County Sheriff’s Deputy.
According to court documents, 53-year-old Paul Martin, of Beulah, was killed on Dec. 6, when 42-year-old Ian Cramer, of Bismarck, caused his death while driving a 2017 Black Chevy Tahoe that was reported stolen from a family member in Bismarck.
The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office located Cramer and the vehicle a short time later in Hazen. When law enforcement approached Cramer, he fled, and a pursuit began.
Martin and Beulah Police Chief Frank Senn were ahead of the pursuit, about five miles outside of Hazen, and had deployed a tire deflation device with the intent of disabling the vehicle. The SUV was traveling at a reported speed of more than 100 m.p.h. even after officers had previously used a spiked device to flatten two of the Tahoe’s tires.
Both men were standing behind their patrol vehicles, taking cover, after deploying the device. Martin’s vehicle was parked on a roadside approach with its emergency lights engaged.