Nov 02, 2022

Ex-Chiefs coach sentenced, taken immediately to jail for DWI crash

Posted Nov 02, 2022 1:00 AM
Reid-in his Jackson County booking photo Tuesday afternoon
Reid-in his Jackson County booking photo Tuesday afternoon

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid was sentenced on Tuesday to three years in prison for driving drunk, speeding and hitting two parked cars last year, leaving a 5-year-old girl with a serious brain injury.

The Chiefs in November&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-health-business-football-b79b53869eb2a017e1e41623ac5abb58">reached a confidential agreement</a>&nbsp;with Ariel Young’s family to pay her ongoing medical treatment and other expenses-photo GoFundMe
The Chiefs in November reached a confidential agreement with Ariel Young’s family to pay her ongoing medical treatment and other expenses-photo GoFundMe

Reid pleaded guilty in September to driving while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury. The charge carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison, but prosecutors had agreed to ask for a maximum sentence of four years in prison. Reid sought probation.

Circuit Judge Charles H. McKenzie sentenced Reid Tuesday and ordered that he be taken into custody immediately.

Prosecutors said Reid, the son of Chiefs Coach Andy Reid, was intoxicated and driving about 84 mph in a 65 mph zone 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. A total of six people, including Reid, were injured. 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.

Reid had a blood-alcohol level of 0.113% two hours after the crash, police said. The legal limit is 0.08%.

Before sentencing, a victim impact statement from Ariel’s mother, Felicia Miller, was read into the record. She said the five victims of the crash were offended that Reid sought probation and they did not accept his apologies for his actions. The family opposed the plea deal.

Miller said her daughter, who was in court Tuesday, has improved but still drags one of her feet when she walks, has terrible balance and must wear thick eyeglasses.

“Ariel’s life forever changed because of Britt Reid,” Miller’s statement said. “She will deal with this for the rest of her life.”

Reid apologized before sentencing, turning to look at Ariel and her family as he spoke. He said he has a daughter the same age as Ariel and his family prays for her every night.

“I understand where Ms. Miller is coming from. I think I would feel the same way,” he said.

Reid’s attorney, J.R. Hobbs, asked in a sentencing memorandum that Reid be placed on probation, noting he had publicly apologized and was remorseful.

Reid underwent emergency surgery for a groin injury after the crash. The Chiefs placed him on administrative leave, and his job with the team ended after his contract was allowed to expire.

Reid-photo KCPD
Reid-photo KCPD

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.

The Chiefs reached a confidential agreement with Ariel’s family in November to pay for her ongoing medical treatment and other expenses.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid will be sentenced Tuesday for driving drunk, speeding and hitting two parked cars last year, leaving a 5-year-old girl with a serious brain injury.

Reid pleaded guilty in September to driving while intoxicated causing seriously bodily injury. The charge carries a maximum penalty of seven years in prison, but prosecutors said at the plea hearing they had agreed to ask for a maximum sentence of four years in prison.

Circuit Judge Charles H. McKenzie also could ignore the sentencing agreement and give Reid 120 days in jail and five years' probation.

Prosecutors said Reid, the son of Chiefs Coach Andy Reid, was intoxicated and driving about 84 mph in a 65 mph zone 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. A total of six people, including Reid, were injured. 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.

Reid had a blood-alcohol level of 0.113% two hours after the crash, police said. The legal limit is 0.08%.

Reid's attorney, J.R. Hobbs, asked in a sentencing memorandum that Reid be placed on probation, noting he had publicly apologized and was remorseful.

Ariel's family opposed the plea deal and wanted Reid be sentenced to the maximum of seven years.

Reid underwent emergency surgery for a groin injury after the crash. The Chiefs placed him 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.

The Chiefs reached a confidential agreement with Ariel’s family in November to pay for her ongoing medical treatment and other expenses.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid is scheduled for sentencing Tuesday afternoon, according to Jackson County officials. Officials delay the hearing scheduled last week.

He pleaded guilty in September 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. He had faced up to seven years in prison, but the plea deal means he now faces a possible sentence ranging from probation to four years in prison. 

In this Aug. 29, 2007, file photo, Britt Reid is escorted into the Montgomery County district court house in Conshohocken, Pa. Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid is scheduled to enter a guilty plea to felony driving while intoxicated related to a car crash that seriously injured a young girl. Jackson County Circuit Court online records show Reid, the son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, is scheduled to plead guilty on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
In this Aug. 29, 2007, file photo, Britt Reid is escorted into the Montgomery County district court house in Conshohocken, Pa. Former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid is scheduled to enter a guilty plea to felony driving while intoxicated related to a car crash that seriously injured a young girl. Jackson County Circuit Court online records show Reid, the son of Chiefs coach Andy Reid, is scheduled to plead guilty on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Investigators said Reid was intoxicated and driving about 84 mph  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, 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 Pardo, an attorney representing Ariel's family, said they opposed the plea deal.

“The five victims of this crime are outraged,” Pardo said. “The prosecuting attorney is not seeking maximum sentence allowable by law. 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 later 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.

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