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A Burleigh County sheriff's deputy who died after helping arrest a drunken driving suspect early Wednesday morning was described as an energetic and ambitious officer.

Deputy Bryan Sleeper died early Wednesday morning after he collapsed while helping Deputy Jon Eide arrest a man on numerous charges. The flag outside the Burleigh County Courthouse flew at half staff on Wednesday and a memorial book was placed in the courthouse lobby for people to share their memories and sympathies.

Sheriff Pat Heinert said preliminary indications from an autopsy completed by the state medical examiner's office are that Sleeper, 39, died of a heart attack.

Sleeper and Eide were arresting Robbie Del James Roberson, 45, for driving under the influence, resisting arrest and fleeing a police officer shortly after midnight Wednesday. Heinert said Sleeper handcuffed Roberson, then began to feel distress and collapsed.

Eide administered first aid and used an automated external defibrillator on Sleeper while maintaining control of Roberson.
Metro Area Ambulance took Sleeper to St. Alexius Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead shortly after 1 a.m., Heinert said.

The sheriff said the incident was described to him as stressful, tense and physical.

Eide has been given a few days of paid administrative leave, and he and other officers in the department will receive assistance, Heinert said. He said Eide was doing well considering the circumstances.

Sleeper was sworn in as a deputy in January 2007. Later that year, he was awarded the North Dakota Peace Officer's Association's life saving award, along with several other officers in the department, for saving a man's life during a suicide attempt. He was on patrol for most of his time with the sheriff's department, other than a short stint with the training division, and was a member of the West Dakota SWAT team. He also was the sheriff's department's medical training officer.

John Brocker, a Bismarck police officer and the president of Missouri Valley Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police, said Sleeper became the organization's vice president two years ago and was "like a giant Energizer Bunny" and a "good friend."

"The guy was a phenomenal worker," Brocker said. "You couldn't find anybody with a bigger heart."

Heinert said Sleeper had the same persona around the sheriff's department, where he was energetic and full of ideas to better himself and the department.

"I used to have to tell Bryan to quit bouncing," Heinert said about the deputy's energy.

Sleeper had worked as a correctional officer with the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for more than seven years prior to working at the sheriff's department and also was an emergency medical technician, Heinert said. When Sleeper requested to become a trainer in the department, administration jumped at the chance.

"It was just natural for us to capitalize on that (experience)," Heinert said. He described Sleeper as a "good deputy" who was excited to be back on patrol after a stint in the training division and thanked the sheriff recently for allowing him to return to patrol.

Heinert, his eyes red and voice breaking, said Sleeper's death was tragic, with nothing prior to suggest any problems. New hires at the sheriff's department undergo physicals, then have annual physicals and doctors' visits. Sleeper's last checkup was in April, and no problems were identified, Heinert said.

"I can't quit shaking right now," the sheriff said.
Heinert said officers have been assigned to assist Sleeper's family, and funeral arrangements are pending.

Brocker learned of Sleeper's death by a 3 a.m. phone call.
"It's still kind of hard to wrap my head around," he said.
Sleeper was involved with local law enforcement events, such as the Battle of the Badges blood drive and the FOP's Christmas shopping event for children.

"He was a huge infusion of energy into the lodge," Brocker said. "There wasn't a project he wouldn't take on. He did wonders for recruiting new members and getting people involved in activities."
Sleeper graduated from Northwood High School and the University of Mary. He is survived by his wife, Lana, two stepsons, a stepdaughter and a grandson, Heinert said.

Sleeper was the second officer in North Dakota to die in the line of duty this year. Bismarck Police Sgt. Steve Kenner, 56, was shot to death while responding to a domestic dispute on July 8. Steve Bannister, 32, has pleaded not guilty to murder in the death of the 32-year officer.

Sleeper was the second Burleigh County Sheriff's Department deputy killed in the line of duty in the department's history. According to the Officer Down Memorial Page, Deputy George Piepkorn was stabbed by a suspect in a domestic dispute on Nov. 19, 1930.