Sentence reduced for driver who hit and killed Hamilton conductor Boris Brott

Ontario's top court has reduced the prison sentence for the man responsible for the hit-and-run death of renowned Hamilton conductor Boris Brott. 

Arsenije Lojovic will serve eight years instead of 10 for dangerous driving causing death, failing to remain at the scene and breach of probation, according to a a recent decision by a three-judge panel at the Court of Appeal for Ontario. 

Brott's family is "disgusted" with the reduction, said his daughter Alex Brott in an email to CBC Hamilton.

"The recent decision by the Court of Appeal to reduce his sentence by 20 per cent is not just disappointing, it's dangerous," she wrote.

"It sends a message that repeat offenders can take lives and still be met with leniency. As a family, we are disgusted. As citizens, we are horrified." 

Lojovic had been convicted two other times for driving-related offences. 

The Court of Appeal found the Hamilton trial judge, Justice Frederic Campling, made a mistake when sentencing Lojovic, who has bipolar disorder and was experiencing a manic episode when hitting and killing Brott.

Campling erred when he said Lojovic should've known better than to drive in that mental state and sentenced him to 10 years, said appeal court Justice Lise Favreau, who wrote the April 28 decision. 

"Mr. Lojovic may be self-aware enough to know when a manic episode is coming and how to avoid harmful behaviour in such circumstances, but this does not increase his moral blameworthiness at the time of the offence," the decision said. 

Lojovic was in his early 30s on April 5, 2022 when he took his mom's car from their home in Grimsby and drove to Hamilton. He drove erratically, through red lights and into oncoming traffic at very high speeds throughout downtown.

Driving the wrong way on Park Street, Lojovic hit Brott, 78, as he crossed near his home. Brott was sent flying through the air, landed on the ground and died. 

Lojovic didn't stop, but continued driving erratically and too fast, almost causing another collision before police eventually caught up to him, pinning his car between two cruisers. When an officer reached into Lojovic's car for the keys, Lojovic reversed, dragging the officer about 45 metres.

Lojovic was then arrested and charged. 

At Lojovic's trial in 2023, he said he didn't remember a lot of what happened and drove away after he hit Brott because he was panicking.