‘He’s a ruthless person’: Sister of convicted hit and run driver Brent Parent

WATCH: The sister of Brent Parent, who was sentenced to five and a half years for a fatal hit and run, is protesting his pending release from prison. Ted Chernecki reports.

In an exclusive interview with Global News, Parent’s sister, Tina, says despite having friends threaten her and not being keen on any more public exposure, she still wants to warn everyone about her brother, who will not be behind bars much longer.

“From where I stand and what I’m dealing with him right now, in a family matter, he hasn’t changed a bit and the bottom line is he took some boy’s life,” Tina told Global News.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "From where I stand and what I'm dealing with him right now, in a family matter, he hasn't changed a bit and the bottom line is he took some boy's life," Tina told <em>Global News</em>.

On March 13, 2008, Parent was driving his Ford F350 pickup truck on a rural stretch of road in Langley when a Chevrolet Silverado with three male passengers tried to pass him. According to court testimony, Parent, who was in the truck with his brother, sped up and eventually knocked the Silverado off the road into the ditch.

Parent then made a U-turn, drove back and swerved into the three young men, killing 21-year-old Silas O’Brien. O’Brien, who was from Abbotsford and on his way to Seattle to catch a plane to Hawaii, had been in the Silverado with his two friends.

“He’s a ruthless person; he has no care [or] concern for anyone. I don’t know what to say, he’s all about controlling situations… still… to this day,” Tina says.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "He's a ruthless person; he has no care [or] concern for anyone. I don't know what to say, he's all about controlling situations… still… to this day," Tina says.

While waiting for trial, Parent — who had 63 prior driving convictions — was arrested again on the second anniversary of his fatal hit and run. This time, he was going 105 km/hr in a 60 km/hr zone.

Along with being sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison, Parent was banned from driving for 12 years following his release from custody. In October 2013, he attempted to have his driving ban reduced, which the BC Court of Appeal rejected.

Parent began serving his sentence in May 2012 and in February 2015 he sought but was denied day passes.

While the parole board did not divulge if Parent had been involved in any anger management programs, it did say the board will not release anyone if it believes they are still a risk to re-offend.

Parent’s statutory release date is January of next year,  but his sister is worried he could take another life. And while Parent will be facing a 12-year driving ban, in the past that has not stopped him from getting behind the wheel–among the 63 previous driving offences, five of them were for driving while suspended.

“In the letter to the parole board I just asked that they look into what’s been dealt with and be careful on his release,” said Tina.

“I wrote them and said I trust that they’ll do that.”

~ with files from Ted Chernecki