Lawyer for Britt Reid crash victim slams plea deal for ex-Chiefs coach
The family of a girl who was severely injured in a car crash involving former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid slammed the plea deal as he pleaded guilty to felony driving while intoxicated resulting in serious physical injury on Monday.
Reid had been scheduled to go to trial later this month and faced up to seven years in prison before a deal was struck. With the deal, the 37-year-old son of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid could face a sentence of up to four years in prison. The sentencing is set for Oct. 28.
Reid’s pickup truck struck two stopped cars on an interstate entrance ramp and seriously injured then-5-year-old Ariel Young in Missouri. The crash occurred the day before the Chiefs were set to leave for Tampa, Fla., for Super Bowl LV.
Investigators said Reid was intoxicated and driving about 84 mph when his truck hit the cars near Arrowhead Stadium.
Ariel suffered a traumatic injury. She was one of the five injuries in the crash.
FAMILY OF BRITT REID CRASH VICTIM ASKS FOR HER NOT TO BE FORGOTTEN WHILE EX-COACH IS ‘LIVING HIS NORMAL LIFE’
“The five victims of this crime are outraged the prosecuting attorney is not seeking maximum sentence allowable by law,” the lawyer for Ariel’s family, Tom 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.”
One of the vehicles Reid hit had stalled because of a dead battery and the second was owned by Ariel’s mother, who arrived on the scene to help. The Chiefs reached a confidential settlement with Ariel’s family last year to pay for her ongoing medical treatment and other expenses.
Circuit Judge Charles McKenzie made clear to Reid he could serve a short period of time in prison and then be placed on probation if he qualifies for good behavior.
“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.”
Reid graduated from a drug treatment program in Pennsylvania in 2009.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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