BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The 42-year-old son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer crashed right into a North Dakota sheriff’s automobile throughout a police chase, pushing it right into a deputy and killing him, based on authorities and the Republican senator’s household.
Ian Cramer, of Bismarck, was arrested and jailed following Wednesday’s crash, and costs are pending, the North Dakota Freeway Patrol stated in a information launch. The identify of the Mercer County deputy who was killed has not been launched, and the sheriff’s workplace did not instantly reply to a Thursday voicemail searching for additional info.
“We ask the general public for prayers for the misplaced officer’s household and colleagues who serve us daily and are grateful for all they do for us,” Kevin Cramer stated in a press release.
The primary-term senator wrote that his son “suffers from critical psychological issues which manifest in extreme paranoia and hallucinations.” Earlier Wednesday, Ian Cramer insisted on “going to his brother Ike,” who died in 2018, in accordance the assertion, which does not additional clarify what which means. In consequence, the senator’s spouse, Kris, took Ian Cramer to the Sanford Well being emergency room in Bismarck.
When Kris Cramer received out of the household’s Chevrolet Tahoe, Ian Cramer received into the motive force’s seat and drove off, Kevin Cramer stated. The senator’s daughter tracked the SUV by a cellphone and alerted the authorities.
Bismarck police had been referred to as about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday to the hospital resulting from injury to an overhead door of the hospital emergency division’s ambulance bay, the police division stated in a information launch. Officers realized Kris Cramer had introduced Ian Cramer there resulting from him “exhibiting psychological well being points,” the division stated.
Whereas parked within the ambulance bay, “Ian received into the motive force’s seat and allegedly rammed the doorways of the bay and fled the scene,” police stated.
Bismarck police started an investigation into theft of a motorized vehicle and prison mischief, and can ahead their reviews and paperwork to the county prosecutor’s workplace, the division stated in a information launch.
The freeway patrol stated a Mercer County deputy noticed Cramer and the SUV within the city of Hazen. Cramer fled and, through the chase, crashed at round 6 p.m. into an unoccupied Mercer County Sheriff’s automobile that was parked on the facet of a state freeway close to Hazen, stated Mark Schmitt, chief deputy for Mercer County.
A deputy was standing behind the parked automobile and getting ready to deploy a tire deflation gadget to finish the chase. The impression of the crash pushed the automobile into the deputy, killing him.
Ian Cramer was taken to a hospital in Hazen after which to the Mercer County Jail in Stanton.
Kevin Cramer was elected to the Senate in 2018 after serving three phrases within the Home. Along with Ian and Ike, Cramer and his spouse have one different son, two daughters and 6 grandchildren, based on a biography on Cramer’s Senate internet web page.
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Salter reported from O’Fallon, Missouri.