Lodi News-Sentinel

Former Chiefs assistant Britt Reid charged in crash that injured 5-year-old girl

- FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS — Glenn E. Rice and Sam McDowell, The Kansas City Star

Former Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid was charged with driving while intoxicate­d, two months after a vehicular crash left a 5year-old girl with a traumatic brain injury, Jackson County prosecutor­s announced.

On Monday, prosecutor­s charged Reid, 35, with driving while intoxicate­d resulting in serious physical injury in the crash that happened Feb. 4. It is a Class D felony and if convicted Reid could be sentenced to up to seven years in prison.

Reid was not in custody on Monday but had made plans to surrender. The prosecutor’s office requested a $100,000 bond and that Reid be placed on GPS and alcohol monitoring.

The crash happened when the former linebacker­s coach and son of head coach Andy Reid struck two cars on the side of an entrance ramp along Interstate 435, near the team’s practice facility. Reid told an initial responding officer that he had left work, according to the probable cause statement.

He was driving over 83 mph two seconds before his vehicle slammed into the other vehicles, according to prosecutor­s, who also allege Reid had a serum blood alcohol content of .113 roughly two hours after the crash.

After the crash, Reid admitted to police that he had been drinking beforehand. A police officer noted that Reid’s eyes were “bloodshot and red,” according to court records.

The crash injured two young children, including 5-year-old Ariel Young, who suffered a traumatic brain injury. She was released from the hospital on April 2 and is being treated at home. Ariel is unable to talk or walk and is being fed through a feeding tube. She suffered a parietal fracture, brain contusions and subdural hematoma, according to prosecutor­s.

“The hope is that being in a familiar setting will trigger parts of her brain that have not woken up yet,” the family’s attorney, Tom Porto said Monday. “Undoubtedl­y, her recovery process will continue for a long time, if not indefinite­ly. It’s heartbreak­ing and we are not sure what the future holds.”

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