Court hears evidence about a wild car ride that ended in Boris Brott’s death

A courtroom at John Sopinka Courthouse in Hamilton heard evidence about a car’s wild ride across the city last year that ended tragically in the death of an innocent man. Witnesses appeared at the trial of Arsenije Lojovic, accused of running down internationally renowned conductor Boris Brott on Apr. 5, 2022. Brott was 78.

A series of witnesses who were on the roads in Hamilton on the morning of the incident appeared in court on Monday. They described what they saw before Brott was run down and killed.

READ MORE: Trial of man accused of fatal hit-and-run of Boris Brott underway

The witnesses described a black Volkswagen driving at high speed on Upper James on Hamilton Mountain, running red lights, and driving on the wrong side of the road. Then the car was spotted on the other side of downtown Hamilton on Burlington Street.

A police officer intercepted the car and followed it on to James St North where he tried to pull it over, but said the driver waved at him out the window and sped off.

The car was then seen going in the wrong direction on Main Street past Hamilton City Hall. Brott was struck and killed a short time later as he walked across a road. The black car later crashed into a police cruiser and the driver was arrested. Lojovic is charged with failing to stop at an accident causing death and dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death.

Brott’s family has been in court for the trial with some occasionally wiping back tears. He founded the Brott Music Festival and was the musical director of the Hamilton Philharmonic for 21 years. He was described as a musical genius and a Canadian treasure.

The police officer who testified also helped make the arrest in this case. He says at the time the suspect said to police “I’m just drunk, I’m just drunk.” Evidence shows there was no alcohol in Lojovic’s blood when it was tested.

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