Dr. Comazzi Vehicular Manslaughter Case Still Going Through Court Process
Fresno, CA — Two years ago this month was the high-profile arrest of Dr. James Comazzi, a longtime cardiologist in Tuolumne County on charges of hit-and-run and vehicular manslaughter.
The alleged crime occurred eight months prior in Fresno County, when Juliana Ramos, a 26-year-old nurse, pulled her vehicle over on Highway 99 as a good Samaritan, to assist the victim of a traffic accident. She was struck and killed by a vehicle passing through the area. After a multi-month investigation, and an anonymous tip to Valley Crime Stoppers, Dr. Comazzi was arrested as the alleged suspect.
The high-profile incident even spurred calls for a new law in California in response, calling for stricter penalties for certain types of hit-and-run incidents, authored by California Assemblyman Jim Patterson.
In December of 2021, Dr. Comazzi, who was 68, pleaded not guilty to the crime.
In January of 2022, A Fresno Judge denied a request by the state medical board to restrict his medical license.
Information released about the case has been limited since that time. Clarke Broadcasting reached out to the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office this morning to see if there has been any type of resolution. Spokesperson Taylor Long with the DA’s Office notes, “The case is still going through the legal process.”
He adds that the next court date is December 14 when there will be a preliminary hearing. It is the step in the process after an arraignment when a case is not settled by attorneys or dismissed by a judge. At the hearing, the judge will likely decide whether there is enough evidence against Dr. Comazzi, and if so, it would go to a jury trial at a later date.
