Fiance takes no comfort in charge laid against other driver
Brandon and Kate
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Kate Lindsay with Brandon Bailey about three years ago, with Lake Ontario in the background.
He never had the opportunity to formally ask for her hand in marriage, though they’d discussed it. His girlfriend, 27-year-old Kate Lindsay, was killed in a head-on crash in Puslinch on July 16.
This week the other driver, a 24-year-old Toronto woman, was charged with dangerous driving causing death.
“It took my life and flipped it 180 degrees,” Brandon said of what happened that fateful morning. “Before all this, I used to get up, go to work, work my ass off and me and her kept telling each other that in time we will have more time to spend together because right now we’re young and this is what we got to do.
“Now those goals that I had with her are not there anymore.”
The two were high school sweethearts, having met at Glenview Park Secondary School when they were about 17 years old. Despite being separated in age by little more than a month, they didn’t share any classes – she was in the academic stream and he had a focus on skilled trades – graduating together in 2008.
“She had a smile that you couldn’t forget and a personality that you couldn’t walk away from,” said Brandon.
When he moved out of his parent’s home at age 18, living with roommates, Kate later joined him. The two returned to living with their parents in recent years, bouncing back and forth together between the two homes while they worked and saved for their future together.
“I was in the process of building a custom ring for her and she knew all about it,” said Bailey, who is noted as Kate’s fiancé in her obituary, of preparing to propose.
It was to happen in the Bronte area of Oakville where they’d visited many times.
“I just got a new apprentice job. Me and her have been working as much as we can because we were planning to buy a house about this time next year, once everything was settled with her schooling and once she got a new job,” Brandon explained.
Next month, Kate was to begin her final year of studies at Conestoga College in hopes of becoming an educational assistant and helping children with special needs.
When they had free time, the couple often spent it hanging out with friends, frequently somewhere near the water.
“Something about the water always made her calm,” said Brandon.
“She kept talking about Tobermory, so we were going to go up there this year. … She wanted to go up there and check the water out. The water is just really crystal blue.”
Brandon no longer has an idea of what the future holds, taking life “day by day” and keeping as busy as he can. Support from loved ones has also helped.
He takes no comfort in knowing the other driver – who along with two passengers, suffered minor injuries –has been charged with a criminal offence and faces the prospect of up to 14 years in jail.
“I’ve already been told she isn’t going to get 14 years. I’ve been told she’s probably looking at around like two years house arrest,” Brandon said, without revealing where that information came from.
“I don’t think they’re going to throw the book at her.”
According to Brandon, the oncoming driver was attempting to pass at least one other vehicle as she crested the hill, crossing the yellow line.
“Kate saw her at the last second and swerved toward the ditch and the girl followed her to the ditch. That’s where they hit.”
Cambridge Times
Source: The Hamilton Spectator