Former Chiefs assistant coach Reid pleads guilty in crash
Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid has pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated resulting in serious physical injury after his truck hit two parked cars in 2021 and left a young girl with a traumatic brain injury
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid pleaded guilty Monday to felony driving while intoxicated resulting in serious physical injury stemming from a 2021 crash, which occurred when his pickup truck struck two stopped cars on an interstate entrance ramp and seriously injured a 5-year-old girl.
Reid, the 37-year-old son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, had been scheduled to go to trial on Sept. 26. Britt Reid had faced up to seven years in prison, but the plea deal means he now faces a possible sentence of up to four years in prison. He entered his plea in Jackson County Circuit Court in Kansas City. Sentencing is set for Oct. 28.
While questioning Reid to confirm that he understood the plea deal, Circuit Judge Charles McKenzie said Reid also could serve a short period of time in prison and then be placed on probation if he qualifies for good behavior.
Investigators said Reid was intoxicated and driving about 84 mph (135 kph) when his Dodge truck hit the cars on an entrance ramp to Interstate 435 near Arrowhead Stadium on Feb. 4, 2021.
A girl inside one of the cars, Ariel Young, suffered a traumatic brain injury. Six people, including Reid, were injured in the crash.
In court Monday, Reid acknowledged he was drinking on the night of the crash.
“I really regret what I did,” Reid said. “I made a huge mistake. I apologize to the family. I didn't mean to hurt anyone.”
Tom Porto, an attorney representing Ariel's family, said they opposed the plea deal.
“The five victims of this crime are outraged the prosecuting attorney is not seeking maximum sentence allowable by law," Porto said. "The defendant is a prior offender whose actions caused a 5-year-old girl to be in a coma and seriously injured three others.”
A Kansas City police officer who arrived at the scene of the crash reported he could smell alcohol and that Reid’s eyes were bloodshot, according to court documents. Reid had a blood-alcohol level of 0.113 two hours after the crash, police said. The legal limit is 0.08.
One of the vehicles he hit had stalled because of a dead battery and the second was owned by Ariel’s mother, who had arrived to help.
The Chiefs reached a confidential agreement with Ariel's family in November to pay for her ongoing medical treatment and other expenses.
Reid underwent emergency surgery for a groin injury after the crash. The Chiefs placed Reid on administrative leave and his job with the team ended after his contract was allowed to expire.
This is not the first legal issue for Reid, who graduated from a drug treatment program in Pennsylvania in 2009 after a series of run-ins with law enforcement. His father was coach of the Philadelphia Eagles at the time.
Britt Reid's older brother, Garrett, served a two-year sentence in a Pennsylvania state drug program after he was arrested on drug-related charges. Garrett Reid was found dead in August 2012 in his dorm room at Lehigh University, where he was assisting at the Eagles' training camp. A coroner ruled that he died of an accidental heroin overdose.
___
More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL