Brendan Lazzaro: sentenced over an intentional hit and run left his childhood friend for dead

A Dallas man who left his childhood friend with a long-term brain injury after an intentional hit and run, has blamed the incident on a dropped cigarette.

Brendan Lazzaro was sentenced in the County Court on Monday over the intentional hit and run of his childhood friend in Campbellfield in 2022. Picture: Facebook.

A Dallas man has left his childhood friend with a long-term brain injury after he ran his car over his mate who was on a scooter following an argument.

Brenden Lazzaro, 47, was on Monday jailed for four years and 10 months in prison with a non-parole period of three years and two months, after pleading guilty in the County Court in May to intentionally causing injury, recklessly engaging in conduct placing people at risk of serious injury and other driving charges.

The County Court heard a witness saw Lazzaro and the victim arguing on January 1 in 2022, before both men drove away, Lazzaro in a car and the victim on a motorised scooter.

Lazzaro saw the victim riding on the opposite side of the road and did a U-turn, travelling in the wrong direction, before he swerved to intentionally hit the victim.

The victim was thrown from the scooter, which became dislodged underneath Lazzaro’s car.

The court heard Lazzaro reversed the Holden Commodore in an attempt to remove the scooter, before driving away from the scene.

Lazzaro only stopped a short while later in a carpark to remove the remaining debris from beneath the car.

The entire incident was caught on CCTV.

The victim was left with an acquired brain injury, lung injuries, a lacerated spleen, spinal bruising and multiple soft tissue injuries.

The court heard the victim was required to be intubated for several days in order for his lungs to heal and later developed PTSD amnesia.

Investigators found Lazzaro had hit him at “no less than 28km/h.”

He was arrested on January 2 after a police chase through Brunswick which involved the air wing.

Lazzaro told police he had “dropped his cigarette, and reached down to get it,” when he hit the victim.

The court heard Lazzaro was exposed “extensively” to domestic violence growing up, causing his mother to “try and escape” his father eight times.

He started drinking at 11 and first used methamphetamines with his father when he was 14.

Lazzaro appeared via video-link from custody on July 1 for sentencing. Picture: NewsWire / Diego Fedele

During his sentencing on Monday, Judge James Parrish took into account Lazzaro’s history, saying it “reduced his moral culpability”, however, he highlighted his lack of remorse.

“CCTV footage shows how you drove onto the wrong side of the road, clearly striking him from behind,” he said.

Justice Parrish said he believed Lazzaro knew he’d hit a person and believed he was “well aware” the victim was injured

“You made no effort to assist someone you’ve known since 14 and you blame your offending on ongoing drug use,” he said.

“You were far more interested in dislodging the scooter from your car than you were with your injured friend.”

Alongside the prison time, Lazzaro was also fined $500 and his licence was disqualified for 30 months.

Lazzaro has already spent 911 days in prison, making his eligible for parole in eight months.