Ian Cramer, the adult son of U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, is expected to enter a new plea on Friday concerning his involvement in a pursuit and fatal crash that resulted in the death of North Dakota sheriff’s deputy Paul Martin in December 2023. Originally pleading not guilty in April to charges including homicide while fleeing a peace officer, preventing arrest, reckless endangerment, fleeing an officer, as well as drug- and driving-related offenses, Cramer is now set to change his plea following a notice filed on Wednesday for a scheduled video conference on Friday.

Details regarding the nature of Cramer’s plea change are yet to be disclosed. Bismarck police had reported that Ian Cramer was taken to a hospital due to mental health concerns by his mother. According to court documents, Cramer entered the driver’s seat of his parents’ vehicle after his mother exited and drove in reverse through the closed garage door of the hospital’s ambulance bay. He consequently fled from deputies in Hazen, located approximately 70 miles from Bismarck.

During the pursuit, Cramer reached speeds exceeding 100 mph and persisted even after his tires were flattened by a spiked device. As more spikes were deployed, Cramer swerved, leading to a head-on collision with Martin’s patrol vehicle, propelling him about 100 feet and resulting in his death. Apart from the current charges related to Deputy Martin’s death, Cramer had previously pleaded not guilty in March to theft, criminal mischief, and reckless endangerment charges related to the hospital incident, with a jury trial scheduled for November.

Senator Kevin Cramer, a Republican, disclosed that his son suffers from severe mental disorders, including paranoia and hallucinations. Ian Cramer is currently being held at McLean County Jail in Washburn on a $500,000 cash bail.