School bus driver sentenced for fatal hit-and-run in Brooklyn Park

A man charged with fatally striking a woman in Brooklyn Park while driving a school bus in 2020 was sentenced to more than three years in prison on Monday.

Jason Rynders, 35, of Big Lake received a 41-month sentence after pleading guilty to one count of criminal vehicular homicide, court records show.

Court documents state that a man called 911 on March 16, 2020, at about 6:45 a.m.

Police arrived and spoke to the caller, who said he noticed the school bus parked on the side of the road and then felt his vehicle hit a bump. The caller then stepped out and realized he hit a woman.

Rynders was standing outside the bus and the man yelled for Rynders to call 911, a criminal complaint states. Rynders then got back on the school bus and drove away.

Evidence shown in court included video camera footage that showed the school bus striking the woman at 6:41 a.m. The collision and a scream were both captured on the video, which then showed Rynders pulling the bus over and running toward the collision.

The complaint states the video showed the other driver yelling for Rynders to call 911 before Rynders runs back to the bus and drives away, leaving the dead victim in the street.