Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced that Nicholas Comasco, 27, of Bloomfield pled guilty today before the Honorable Verna G. Leath, Judge of the Superior Court, to vehicular homicide in connection with the death of 16-year-old Christina Lembo, also of Bloomfield.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Comasco is expected to be sentenced to three years in New Jersey state prison when he is sentenced on June 6. Under the No Early Release Act, he must serve 85 percent of his sentence before he is eligible for parole.
In court today, Comasco admitted drinking beer and driving of speeds of up to 80 miles per hour just before he struck the vehicle carrying Lembo, who was a passenger in the back seat. In addition to killing Lembo, the front seat passenger, a 17-year-old male, sustained a broken back in the crash.
“The plea by Nicholas Comasco to vehicle homicide constitutes an admission by him that his criminal conduct in driving his car in a criminally reckless manner caused the death of 16-year-old Christina Lembo,’’ said Assistant Prosecutor Eileen O’Connor who handled the case with Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Giordano.
In addition, to the three-year sentence, under the terms of the negotiated plea, Comasco will be on parole for three years after his release from prison and may have his license suspended for a period of time after his release from prison.
If the case went to trial and Comasco was convicted, he would have faced 5 to 10 years in New Jersey state prison. However, given the defendant’s lack of criminal history he would likely have faced time on the lower end of that range.
“While no amount of prison time can equate with the unspeakable loss and pain suffered by the Lembo family due to his criminal conduct, it is hoped that this admission by him and the punishment that will follow, will bring some small measure of closure to the Lembo family,’’ said O’Connor. “Throughout this ordeal they have only sought justice and an acceptance of responsibility.’’
Giordano added, “What happened here was in no way an accident. It was in fact a crime and our vehicular laws will and do punish conduct such as this.’’