A California cardiologist, responsible for a hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of a 26-year-old mother of three in Fresno, has been sentenced to just eight months in jail. This decision has left the victim’s family in deep distress.
Dr. James Comazzi received his sentence on Wednesday from a Fresno County judge for his involvement in the tragic death of Juliana Ramos. In February 2021, Ramos, who was studying to become a certified nursing assistant and lived in Reedley, tragically lost her life.
Ramos had pulled over on Manning Avenue to help a victim of another accident, according to a report by ABC 30.
Comazzi briefly exited his car but then fled the scene, as detailed by the California Highway Patrol.
For months, the driver’s identity remained a mystery until investigators identified Comazzi as the culprit, thanks to an anonymous tip-off.
During Wednesday’s court proceedings, Ramos’s family delivered heart-wrenching testimonies, expressing the enduring grief that their family has faced for nearly five years since the loss.
âMy grandma lost her daughter. My mom, aunts and uncles lost her sister,” said Ramosâ niece, Ivette Lopez. “My cousin lost an aunt and I lost a best friend. But most importantly, her kids lost their mother at a very young age.â
Lopez also questioned how a physician could flee the scene after hitting someone who had stopped to help others.
âWhat kind of doctor in any specialty does that? He managed to get away with it for eight months. Did he have any remorse? Did he think about the pain he had caused for my family?â she said.
Comazzi addressed Ramosâ family during the sentencing, telling them: âNo words can undo the past or fix the profound brokenness caused by my actions.â
Fresno County Superior Court Judge James Kelley noted the case could have played out much differently if the driver had stayed at the scene.
âHad he stuck around at that point, had he stayed, this case at all wouldâve been brought as a misdemeanor,â Kelley said.
Comazzi previously pleaded no contest to felony hit-and-run and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charges.
On Wednesday, the judge ordered him to serve eight months in county jail.
Ramosâ loved ones argued the punishment failed to reflect the magnitude of what was taken from them.
âI believe that Mr. Comazzi does not deserve the sentence of probation with up to a year in jail. That decision was set to be based on his age and lack of criminal record. But what about Juli? Did her age not matter? She had no criminal record. She was going to school to become a CNA,â Lopez explained.
