Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Fargo-Moorhead News
The Associated Press
Bismarck, N.D.

Son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer crashes during police chase, killing North Dakota sheriff's deputy

Deputy Killed-Senator's Son
Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-ND, speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington. A North Dakota sheriff's deputy was killed when a stolen SUV driven by the son of Sen. Cramer crashed during a police pursuit and struck a sheriff's vehicle, pushing it into the deputy, according to the North Dakota Highway Patrol and a statement from Cramer.
Kevin Dietsch | AP 2020

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Log inCreate a free Account

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

Show me!

The 42-year-old son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer crashed into a North Dakota sheriff's vehicle during a police chase, pushing it into a deputy and killing him, according to authorities and the Republican senator's family.

Ian Cramer, of Bismarck, was arrested and jailed following Wednesday's crash, and charges are pending, the North Dakota Highway Patrol said in a news release. The name of the Mercer County deputy who was killed has not been released, and the sheriff's office didn't immediately respond to a Thursday voicemail seeking further information.

“We ask the public for prayers for the lost officer’s family and colleagues who serve us every day and are grateful for all they do for us,” Kevin Cramer said in a statement.

The first-term senator wrote that his son “suffers from serious mental disorders which manifest in severe paranoia and hallucinations.” Earlier Wednesday, Ian Cramer insisted on “going to his brother Ike,” who died in 2018, according the statement, which doesn't further explain what that means. As a result, the senator's wife, Kris, took Ian Cramer to the Sanford Health emergency room in Bismarck.

When Kris Cramer got out of the family's Chevrolet Tahoe, Ian Cramer got into the driver's seat and drove off, Kevin Cramer said. The senator's daughter tracked the SUV through a cellphone and alerted the authorities.

The highway patrol said a Mercer County deputy saw Cramer and the SUV in the town of Hazen. Cramer fled and, during the chase, crashed at around 6 p.m. into an unoccupied Mercer County Sheriff's vehicle that was parked on the side of a state highway near Hazen, said Mark Schmitt, chief deputy for Mercer County.

A deputy was standing behind the parked vehicle and preparing to deploy a tire deflation device to end the chase. The impact of the crash pushed the vehicle into the deputy, killing him.

Ian Cramer was taken to a hospital in Hazen and then to the Mercer County Jail in Stanton.

Kevin Cramer was elected to the Senate in 2018 after serving three terms in the House. In addition to Ian and Ike, Cramer and his wife have one other son, two daughters and six grandchildren, according to a biography on Cramer’s Senate web page.