Court marshals had to clear the courtroom during the trial on Friday of a man accused of hitting and killing a 3-year-old boy near a park in Hartford on Thursday because emotions and tension got so high.
Christian Bordellos, 19, is charged with negligent homicide, accused of killing Joseph Ortiz when the little boy darted out from the park and into the street. He appeared before a judge after a delay because of the outburst and bond was set at $200,000.
After the crash, Bordellos called his girlfriend, who owns the car, and asked her to report it stolen, the police report said.
Bordellos' attorney said he fled the scene because he was being chased.
The court appearance got out of hand earlier in the morning, when the door opened to let Bordellos into the courtroom and the victim’s family members started yelling and screaming, despite the judge’s order for everyone to hold their emotions.
About a dozen marshals confronted the victim’s family, created a wall between the suspect and the family and ordered everyone out of the crowded courtroom. Three state police cruisers also pulled up to the courthouse.
Outside the courtroom, the little boy's father, Raul Ortiz, was also emotional.
"If you hit him, you stay there," he said. "You don't leave him under the car."
