A 26-year-old mother of three, training to become a nurse, lost her life doing exactly what she was studying to do — helping a stranger after a crash. The man who hit her? A cardiologist who reportedly stepped out, looked, then drove away.
Juliana Ramos had pulled over near Manning Avenue in Fresno back in February 2021 after spotting a car accident. According to her family’s GoFundMe, she stopped to help another driver who had just crashed — and moments later, a passing SUV struck her.
She was killed instantly. Just two days before what would have been her birthday.
The driver was identified as Dr. James Comazzi, a cardiologist from Tuolumne County. Police say that after striking Ramos, Comazzi briefly got out of his vehicle — then got back in and drove off.
Now, more than five years later, the case has finally reached sentencing — and Ramos’ family says the outcome doesn’t come close to matching what was lost.
“Did Her Age Not Matter?”
Comazzi pleaded no contest in March 2026 to felony hit-and-run and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. This week, a Fresno County judge sentenced him to just eight months in custody, plus probation.
Ramos’ niece, Ivette Lopez, didn’t hold back outside the courtroom. She questioned why the doctor’s age and clean record were weighed so heavily — while pointing out that Juliana was also young, also had no criminal history, and was actively working toward a future helping others as a CNA.
The Moment That Changed Everything
According to the judge, the severity of the case hinged on one critical decision Comazzi made in the seconds after the crash. Had he stayed at the scene, the case would have remained a misdemeanor from the start.
Instead, investigators say he left — and the case wasn’t fully resolved for roughly eight months afterward.
Lopez asked the court a question that’s now resonating widely online: what kind of doctor, in any field, leaves someone dying in the road and drives away?
Comazzi Speaks at Sentencing
During the hearing, Comazzi addressed Ramos’ family directly, acknowledging that nothing he says can undo what happened or repair the damage caused.
He has now been placed in the custody of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office to begin serving his sentence, with credit applied for time already accounted for.
Remembering Juliana
Back in 2021, Ramos’ sister, Claudia Sanchez, described her as someone who lived for her children and carried a genuinely good heart — someone who simply didn’t deserve what happened to her.
A young mom. A future nurse. Killed while trying to help a stranger — and her family says justice still feels out of reach.
