Ont. woman whose father died in impaired driving collision warns others not to make same mistake

An Ontario woman whose father died in an impaired driving collision when she was a baby is urging people to think twice before getting behind the wheel while impaired, saying the decision can affect multiple generations.

Kelly McIntyre’s story highlights the devastating consequences of impaired driving, a message reinforced by Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Canada’s annual Red Ribbon Campaign.

The initiative, launched in Essex County this week, urges drivers to make safe choices during the holiday season to prevent injuries and deaths related to impaired driving.

McIntyre’s dad, Ronald Brando, was just 26 years old when he died in a single-vehicle collision in Essex on June 25, 1987.

According to McIntyre, he had been drinking with friends and decided to race his car down County Road 34.

He lost control, veered off the road, and hit an embankment, before being ejected from the vehicle and colliding with a building.

McIntyre, who now lives in Kingsville, was only seven months old at the time and has no memories of her father.

"I don’t know the sound of his voice and there’s no video of him," McIntyre said, adding the loss extended beyond her own grief.

"My grandparents lost their son. My mom lost her husband. My kids will never meet their grandfather."

The Red Ribbon campaign, MADD Canada’s longest-running public awareness initiative, launched Wednesday in Essex County through a media event at the Essex Centre Sports Complex, featuring OPP officers, Essex-Windsor EMS and Essex Mayor Sherry Bondy.

Red ribbons were handed out to drivers to tie onto their vehicles, as a reminder to plan safe rides home and honour those who have been killed or injured by impaired drivers.

According to Chaouki Hamka, community leader for MADD Windsor-Essex, the COVID-19 pandemic may have influenced a rise in impaired driving incidents.

"When COVID first arrived, people were limited to staying home," Hamka said.

"There were no festivities, no social gatherings, no parties to attend. People would sit at home and enjoy those beverages or use cannabis. Some of those habits have carried over post-pandemic."

Hamka said the rise in impaired driving charges is due to a combination of increased enforcement and changes in behavior.

"We’re definitely seeing more people getting caught because law enforcement is out there tackling impaired driving day and night," said Hamka.

In the first eight months of 2019, Essex County OPP held 107 RIDE events.

For the same period in 2024, OPP in the region conducted 853 RIDE events, according to numbers previously provided by the police force to CTV News.

"Through mandatory RIDE checks and alcohol screening, law enforcement is identifying impaired drivers before a crash occurs. So, it's helping to catch drivers before they hurt themselves or others," said Hamka.

According to Essex County OPP Supt. Mark Loucas, drivers who are found to be impaired often give the same answer to justify their decision to get behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol.

"The most common thing we hear is, 'I’ve only had two drinks.' The reality is that two drinks is too many," said Loucas.

"We maintain a zero-tolerance approach towards drinking and driving because we have seen the ramifications and the destruction that results from people not choosing to take an alternative way of getting home."

As for McIntyre, the 37-year-old said she stayed in contact with her late father’s side of the family, despite never having the chance to know him.

But she feels the loss of not getting to learn about the personal characteristics that made her dad who he was.

"I couldn’t tell you what his favorite band was. I couldn’t tell you anything like that. Not knowing somebody just because they made the decision to drink and race their car, it’s hard," said McIntyre.

"It’s a preventable decision to make. Have a designated driver, call an Uber. There’s so many different avenues you could take besides taking that car out and potentially ruining a whole bunch of people’s lives."