Accused EMT killer appears in court after being deemed fit for trial

The accused killer of Bronx EMT Yadira Arroyo made his first appearance in court after being deemed fit for trial earlier this month.

News 12 Staff

Sep 29, 2022, 9:18 PM

Updated 743 days ago

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The accused killer of Bronx EMT Yadira Arroyo made his first appearance in court after being deemed fit for trial earlier this month.  
Arroyo was run over by her own ambulance, allegedly driven by Jose Gonzalez, while on the job back in 2017.  
Gonzalez was originally deemed unfit for trial. On Sept. 21, Gonzalez was found stable enough to take the stand.  
“We never believed that he was unfit,” said Ali Acevedo-Hernandez, Arroyo's uncle. “Sometimes people take mental illness as a way of saying 'I didn't mean to do it', but there are so many people out there who are mentally ill that are not criminals." 
Gonzalez’s next trial date is now set for Jan. 3 in 2023. Fellow EMT members who worked alongside Arroyo showed up Thursday in support of her family, calling for more protection in their line of work.  
"This job with Yari and many other cases, proves that this job is very dangerous,” said Jason Rosado, a fellow FDNY EMT. “We are not recognized like we should, and the danger is really out there." 
Gonzalez faces charges for first- and second-degree murder, robbery, vehicular manslaughter, and driving under the influence.