North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer (R) said his son was involved in a police chase Wednesday night that resulted in an accident and the death of a police officer.
The North Dakota Highway Patrol said in a press release that the Bismarck Police Department received a report Wednesday night that a stolen vehicle was being driven by Ian Cramer, the 42-year-old son of Cramer.
The senator said his wife had taken his son to the Sanford Health emergency room in Bismarck on Wednesday night after Ian Cramer insisted on seeing his brother Ike, who died in 2018.
Sen. Cramer said his son, “suffers from serious mental disorders” that manifest in paranoia and hallucinations.
The senator said that when his wife stepped out of the vehicle, his son hopped into the driver's seat and fled. His daughter tracked where he was going through his wife's cell phone, which led officers to locate him in Mercer County.
“I will take the first flight I can to be with our family as we grieve what has happened,” Sen. Cramer said in a statement. “We grieve especially for the family of the hero who tried to help Ian, and we pray for our gracious God to show up as He always does in tragedy. 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.”
“We also ask God for healing for Ian. We love him and hurt deeply,” the senator said in the statement.
According to the police statement the vehicle Cramer was driving “veered and crashed head-on” into a Mercer County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle that was parked and flashing its emergency lights.
The Mercer County Sheriff's deputy was standing behind the patrol vehicle, which pushed into the deputy and killed him after it was struck.
Ian Cramer was taken into custody and brought to a local hospital before being taken to a detention center.
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