Senator's son appears in court on new homicide charge from crash that killed North Dakota deputy

BISMARCK, N.D. — The 42-year-old son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer appeared in court Monday on a new murder charge in connection with the crash that killed a North Dakota sheriff's deputy.

The judge did not change the $500,000 bail she imposed on him earlier this month. State District Court Judge Bobbi Weiler said she will schedule a preliminary hearing for Ian Cramer, who is in jail. His attorney said he is gathering information for a mental health evaluation.

Last week, a judge approved new charges that upgraded Cramer's initial manslaughter charge to murder while fleeing a peace officer in connection with the Dec. 6 death of Mercer County Sheriff's Deputy Paul Martin.

Cramer faces nine charges, including reckless endangerment and evading arrest, in connection with the chase and crash.

The senator said in a statement that his son “has serious mental disorders manifested by severe paranoia and hallucinations.” Ian Cramer's mother had taken him to a hospital in Bismarck because of concerns about his mental health, police said. As she got out of the family's SUV, her son took the wheel and crashed through a door to get out of a locked ambulance bay.

Authorities say he then fled from officers who spotted him in Hazen, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) northwest of Bismarck.

According to court documents, Cramer reached speeds of 100 mph and kept going even after a spiked device flattened two tires. More spikes were deployed and Cramer swerved and then crashed head-on into Martin's patrol car, launching him about 100 feet, authorities said.