Duncan Brass Killed in Hit-and-Run; Suspected Driver Dies by Apparent Suicide

BUTTE, MONTANA — July 22, 2025 — A community is in mourning following a harrowing chain of events that began with a fatal hit-and-run in the early morning hours of Saturday and ended with the apparent suicide of the suspected driver. Authorities have identified the pedestrian killed in the incident as 39-year-old Duncan Brass, a resident of Butte remembered for his kindness, work ethic, and presence in the local community.

According to Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement, emergency responders were dispatched to the intersection of Locust and Garfield Streets at approximately 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, July 19, after receiving reports of a vehicle-versus-pedestrian accident. When police and medical personnel arrived, they found Brass critically injured in the roadway. Despite efforts from Butte Fire Rescue and A-1 Ambulance, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Initial investigations revealed that the vehicle involved in the collision had been traveling southbound on Garfield Street and failed to stop after striking Brass. The vehicle reportedly continued to Grand Avenue before turning west and leaving the area. Authorities described the suspect vehicle as dark in color, but for several hours following the incident, both the vehicle and its driver remained unidentified.

While the investigation was still unfolding, Butte police, working with the Montana Highway Patrol and the Butte-Silver Bow Coroner’s Office, issued a public appeal for any witnesses, security camera footage, or information that might help identify the driver and reconstruct the moments leading up to the crash. They specifically reached out to residents and businesses near the crash site, urging them to check their surveillance systems from that timeframe.

By Sunday morning, law enforcement announced they had located and spoken with a person of interest believed to be the driver of the vehicle involved in the fatal collision. Details of that conversation have not been released to the public. However, before further steps could be taken in the legal process, tragedy struck once again. That same evening, the individual who had spoken with investigators was found deceased from an apparent suicide.

Officials have not released the name of the deceased driver, citing the need to notify family members and complete formal identification procedures. Authorities also declined to comment on whether the individual had admitted involvement in the crash or was facing charges at the time of their death.

Duncan Brass’s body was transported to the Montana State Crime Lab for autopsy. His death has shaken those who knew him personally and devastated many in the broader Butte community. Friends described him as compassionate, reliable, and generous—a man who never hesitated to lend a helping hand. Though not much has been publicly shared by his family at this time, those close to the situation say they are heartbroken and struggling to process the rapid succession of events.

The incident has left residents of Butte grappling not only with grief but also with a sense of unanswered questions. Why did the driver flee? Could more have been done to prevent the secondary tragedy? These are questions authorities may never fully answer.

As the investigation continues, Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement is renewing its call for public assistance. Even though the suspected driver is now deceased, investigators still seek clarity around the events that led to Brass’s death and the timeline that followed. Police say any footage, eyewitness accounts, or relevant information could still be instrumental in piecing together the full scope of what happened.

Those with any leads are encouraged to contact the Butte-Silver Bow Law Enforcement Department at 406-497-1120.

The back-to-back losses of both the victim and the suspect have cast a heavy pall over Butte. In a small town where news travels fast and everyone seems to know one another, the emotional toll is deeply felt. For now, the community is left to grieve a life lost too soon, mourn a situation that spiraled into tragedy, and wait for the final pieces of this painful story to come into focus.