St. Joseph Man Sentenced in Fatal Hit-And-Run Case

ST. CLOUD -- A St. Joseph man has been sentenced in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 5-year-old boy last April.

Thirty-two-year-old Jeremy Ulik had earlier pleaded guilty to one felony count of failing to stop at a collision causing injury or death. He was sentenced in Stearns County District Court to 60 days in jail, four years probation, and must pay restitution to the family.

A criminal complaint says Ulik told police he knew he hit 5-year-old Cody Nuckolls with his Chevy Trailblazer, but believed the child was OK because he saw him standing as he drove away.

The boy was struck by a vehicle on April 13 as his mother waited across the street for his sister to get off a school bus. Nuckolls was declared dead at the hospital.

Police used video from the school bus to find the vehicle.

Ulik has no prior criminal record and if he abides by the provisions in his probation will have the conviction reduced to a misdemeanor after the four year probationary period.