Deputy's death in crash results in 28-year prison sentence for North Dakota senator's son.

A sheriff's deputy was killed in a crash while the son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., fled law enforcement.

On Dec. 6, 2023, Mercer County Sheriff's Deputy Paul Martin was killed, and Ian Cramer, 43, will be sentenced to 28 years in prison for his role in the incident.

Judge Weiler sentenced Cramer to 38 years with 10 suspended, three years of probation, and credit for time served. The AP reports that he may not serve the full sentence since these are not mandatory minimums.

Weiler stated that these are not mandatory minimums, meaning you will likely serve a small portion of the 28 years and be on parole, giving you a chance to turn your life around, unlike Deputy Martin and his family. He also emphasized the need for treatment for addiction and mental health.

Todd Schwarz, the State's Attorney of Mercer County, stated that Cramer confessed to consuming methamphetamine and bath salts on the day of the incident, and was suffering from the aftermath of using drugs to induce a mentally ill state.

On the day of the crash, Cramer's mother drove him to a hospital in Bismarck, North Dakota, due to mental health issues. After she exited the car, he slid into the driver's seat and drove away, crashing through a closed door in the hospital's ambulance bay.

In Hazen, about 70 miles from Bismarck, law enforcement confronted him, but Cramer continued to drive at speeds over 100 mph. Despite deploying spiked devices that flattened two tires, he was not stopped.

When Cramer swerved to avoid more spikes, he hit Martin's patrol vehicle head-on, resulting in the deputy's death at the hospital.

In April, Cramer initially pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, but later changed his plea to guilty in September.

The charges against the suspect were for homicide while evading a police officer, evading a police officer, hindering arrest, reckless endangerment, driving under suspension, possession of meth, possession of cocaine, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana.

A sentence of up to 20 years in prison can be imposed for a homicide charge.

On Monday, Kris, Cramer's mother, apologized in court and admitted feeling responsible for the events that led to Martin's death, according to the AP.

Sen. Cramer has previously stated that his son experiences severe paranoia and hallucinations due to mental health issues. On Monday, he expressed his disappointment with the court and prosecutor for dismissing mental health concerns.

The senator, who was re-elected in November, stated that everyone, including his son, is aware that "their choices led to his current situation, regardless of the circumstances, and those choices date back many years."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.