Ramsey County Charges
Ramsey County Charges
Ramsey County Charges
7/24/2017 12:03:22 PM
Ramsey County, MN
StateofMinnesota DistrictCourt
CountyofRamsey 2ndJudicialDistrict
ProsecutorFileNo. 0620392328
CourtFileNo. 62-CR-17-5435
StateofMinnesota, COMPLAINT
Plaintiff, OrderofDetention
vs.
TYLERRANDALLBJELLANDDOB:11/25/1990
125GrantSt.W,#310
Minneapolis,MN55403
Defendant.
The Complainant submits this complaint to the Court and states that there is probable cause to believe
Defendantcommittedthefollowingoffense(s):
COUNTI
Charge:CriminalVehicularHomicide-OperateMotorVehicleinGrosslyNegligentManner
MinnesotaStatute:609.2112.1(a)(1)
MaximumSentence:10yearsor$20,000fine,orboth
OffenseLevel:Felony
OffenseDate(onorabout):07/21/2017
Control#(ICR#):17169735
Charge Description: On or about July 21, 2017, in the County of Ramsey, Minnesota, Tyler Randall
Bjelland did cause the death of KJF, as a result of operating a motor vehicle in a grossly negligent
manner.
COUNTII
Charge:CriminalVehicularOperation-GreatBodilyHarm-GrossNegligence
MinnesotaStatute:609.2113.1(1)
MaximumSentence:5yearsor$10,000fine,orboth
OffenseLevel:Felony
OffenseDate(onorabout):07/21/2017
Control#(ICR#):17169735
Charge Description: On or about July 21, 2017, in the County of Ramsey, Minnesota, Tyler Randall
Bjelland did cause great bodily harm to another, MAJ, as a result of operating a motor vehicle in a grossly
negligentmanner.
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62-CR-17-5435 Filed in Second Judicial District Court
STATEMENTOFPROBABLECAUSE 7/24/2017 12:03:22 PM
Ramsey County, MN
YourcomplainantisaninvestigatorwiththeSt.PaulPoliceDepartment.Thefollowingisbasedonareview
ofthereportsofotherofficersandyourcomplainantsowninvestigation:
OnJuly21,2017,atabout7:30pm,St.PaulPolicerespondedtotheintersectionofCharlesAve.andDale
St.N.,St.Paul,RamseyCountyonareportedvehiclecrashandcaronfire.Onarrival,officersfoundthata
whiteChevroletImpalahadstruckaMetroTransitbus,causingafire,significantinjuries,andafatality.
Officersspokewiththebusdriver,whowasveryshaken.HesaidthatthebuswastravelingonDaleat
about25mphwhenitwassuddenlythrownofftheroadbyatremendousforce.Hesaidthathedidnoteven
realizethatavehiclehadhitthebusuntilheexiteditandsawtheImpalaonfire.
Amanatthescene,EDT(7/15/1990),saidthathiscarhadbeenparkedatCharlesandVictoria,ahalf-
milewestofDale.EDTsaidthattheImpalahadside-swipedhiscarandthendrivenawayathighspeed
eastboundonCharles.HesaidthatthedriveroftheImpalawasawhitemalewhoappearedtobedrunk.
HesaidthathehadtriedtofollowtheImpalaonCharlesbutwasunabletocatchup,astheImpalawas
drivingatveryhighspeedanderratically,swervingallovertheroad.Hesaidthathelostsightofthe
Impala,andwhenhearrivedatCharlesandDalehesawthatithadhitthebus.
Asecondmanatthescene,(JJM(2/23/1987),saidthathewaswithEDTwhentheImpalaside-swiped
theircar.HeconfirmedEDTsaccount.JJMsaidthattheImpalawasspeedingandswervingasitdrove
awayonCharles,almosthittinganumberofparkedcars.
Aneyewitness,VRM(9/4/1987),saidthatshewasinfrontofherresidenceonCharles,about1.5blocks
westofDale,whenshesawtheImpalatravelingeastboundonCharlesathighspeed.Shesaidthatitwas
drivenbyawhitemalewithabeard.ShesaidthattheImpalarevveditsenginetoincreasespeedevery
timeitenteredanintersection.ShesaidthatshewalkedeastonCharlestomonitoritoutofconcern.She
saidthatshesawtheImpalaentertheintersectionwithDaleanddriveoverthemedian,becoming
airborne.Sheestimateditsspeedat100mphwhenithitthebus.
AsecondeyewitnesssaidthathehadbeenwalkingnearCharlesandDale.Hesaidthathesawthe
ImpalacomeeastboundonCharles,driverightthroughtheintersectionathighspeed,andhitthebus,
whichhadbeentravelingnorthboundonDale.HesaidthattheImpaladidnotstopforthestopsign.
AthirdeyewitnesssaidthathewasstandingonthesouthwestcornerofCharlesandDaleandsawthe
ImpaladrivingeastboundonCharlesathighspeed,approximately70to90mph,beforecrashingintothe
bus.ThewitnesssaidthattheImpaladidnotattempttostopatanystopsigns.
KJF(11/17/1968),whohadbeenapassengeronthebus,wasdeclareddeceasedatthescene.Hisbody
wasmissinghisleftleg,whichwasstillonthebus.
Anotherpassengeronthebus,MAJ(9/7/1997),wastakentoRegionsHospitalwithsevereinjuries.
MedicalpersonnelthereadvisedofficersthatMAJwasincriticalconditionwithabraininjury.MAJsfamily
toldofficersthenextdaythatMAJhadexperiencedswellinginhisbrain,requiringthathisskullbeopened.
Hecontinuedtobeincriticalcondition.
Otherpassengers,includinganumberofjuveniles,werealsotreatedforinjuries.
ThedriveroftheImpalawasidentifiedasthedefendant,TYLERRANDALLBJELLAND(11/25/1990).He
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62-CR-17-5435 Filed in Second Judicial District Court
7/24/2017 12:03:22 PM
hadtobeextricatedfromtheImpalaandwastakentoRegionsHospitalaswell.Officerswereadvisedthat
Ramsey County, MN
hehadbrokenanklesandpossiblyabrokenleg.Anofficermetwithhim.Theofficerobservedthatthe
defendantsmelledofalcohol,andhehadbloodshot,wateryeyes.Pursuanttoawarrant,asamplewas
takenofthedefendantsblood.
Thedefendantdeclinedtomakeastatement.
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62-CR-17-5435 Filed in Second Judicial District Court
SIGNATURESANDAPPROVALS 7/24/2017 12:03:22 PM
Ramsey County, MN
ComplainantrequeststhatDefendant,subjecttobailorconditionsofrelease,be:
(1)arrestedorthatotherlawfulstepsbetakentoobtainDefendant'sappearanceincourtor
(2)detained,ifalreadyincustody,pendingfurtherproceedingsandthatsaidDefendantotherwise
bedealtwithaccordingtolaw.
Complainantdeclaresunderpenaltyofperjurythateverythingstatedinthisdocumentistrueand
correct.Minn.Stat.358.116Minn.R.Crim.P.2.01,subds.1,2.
Beingauthorizedtoprosecutetheoffensescharged,Iapprovethiscomplaint.
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62-CR-17-5435 Filed in Second Judicial District Court
FINDINGOFPROBABLECAUSE 7/24/2017 12:03:22 PM
Ramsey County, MN
From the above sworn facts, and any supporting affidavits or supplemental sworn testimony, I, the Issuing Officer, have
determined that probable cause exists to support, subject to bail or conditions of release where applicable, Defendants arrest
or other lawful steps be taken to obtain Defendants appearance in court, or Defendants detention, if already in custody,
pendingfurtherproceedings.Defendantisthereforechargedwiththeabove-statedoffense(s).
SUMMONS
THEREFOREYOU,THEDEFENDANT,ARESUMMONEDtoappearon___________,_____at_____AM/PM
beforetheabove-namedcourtat15WKelloggBlvd,StPaul,MN55102toanswerthiscomplaint.
IFYOUFAILTOAPPEARinresponsetothisSUMMONS,aWARRANTFORYOURARRESTshallbeissued.
WARRANT
To the Sheriff of the above-named county or other person authorized to execute this warrant: I order, in the name of the State
of Minnesota, that the Defendant be apprehended and arrested without delay and brought promptly before the court (if in
session), and if not, before a Judge or Judicial Officer of such court without unnecessary delay, and in any event not later than
36hoursafterthearrestorassoonassuchJudgeorJudicialOfficerisavailabletobedealtwithaccordingtolaw.
X ORDEROFDETENTION
Since the Defendant is already in custody, I order, subject to bail or conditions of release, that the Defendant continue to be
detainedpendingfurtherproceedings.
Bail:$500,000.00
ConditionsofRelease:
Thiscomplaint,dulysubscribedandsworntoorsignedunderpenaltyofperjury,isissuedbytheundersignedJudicialOfficer
asofthefollowingdate:July24,2017.
SworntestimonyhasbeengivenbeforetheJudicialOfficerbythefollowingwitnesses:
COUNTYOFRAMSEY
STATEOFMINNESOTA
StateofMinnesota
Plaintiff LAWENFORCEMENTOFFICERRETURNOFSERVICE
IherebyCertifyandReturnthatIhaveservedacopyofthisOrderof
vs. DetentionupontheDefendanthereinnamed.
SignatureofAuthorizedServiceAgent:
TylerRandallBjelland
Defendant