Traveling nurse charged with killing Fresno father in hit-and-run

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A traveling nurse from Illinois is charged with killing a Fresno man and leaving the scene.

The death of Donald Roberts has left a lingering pain for his wife and two teenage kids.

"We're not doing good," said widow Shelly Roberts. "We miss him."

Shelly Roberts is angry about the February hit-and-run crash that killed her husband and about the driver not even showing up to court in person to face the charges.

Via Zoom from his attorney's office, 30-year-old Kevin Polidario pleaded not guilty.

He's a traveling nurse from Illinois and prosecutors say he had just finished a 13-hour shift when he hit Roberts in the crosswalk at Bullard and Cedar in northeast Fresno.

"He left the scene, went home, texted his roommate," said prosecutor Lisa Urrizola. "He and the roommate returned back to the scene."

He came back within about 30 minutes and police said he didn't seem to be under the influence.

He's charged with hit-and-run causing death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.

"The issue is whether or not he had knowledge that he hit something," said Polidario's defense attorney Dan Bacon. "But there's no reason for him to leave. He's not under the influence. He's not unlicensed. He's not uninsured. He came back to the scene."

"If we're going to argue the point of whether or not he had knowledge, he did return to the scene," said Judge Jon Kapetan. "Something was up."

Polidario drove away from his attorney's office after his court hearing Tuesday.

His nursing license expires in May, but Shelly Roberts wants it suspended because of the hit & run.

"He left (Donald) to die," she said. "I mean, you're a nurse and you're supposed to be helping people."

Polidario faces no more than four years in prison if he's convicted. He's due back in court in June.