Guilty Plea for Fatal Hit and Run Involving Child

St. Cloud, MN (Townsquare Media) - A St.. Joseph man has pleaded guilty in a hit-and-run crash that killed a 5-year-old boy last April.

32-year-old Jeremy Ulik was charged with two counts of failing to stop at a collision causing injury or death. He pleaded guilty Friday to one of the two counts in exchange that he receive no more than 75 days in jail and the other count be dropped.

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.

Prosecutor Will Brost says he will argue for the max sentence of 75 days in jail and restitution for the family. Ulik has no criminal history and will likely be on probation for a period of time when he’s sentenced November 12th.

(WJON-Townsquare Media)