A former NFL assistant coach has been sentenced to three years in prison over a drunk driving accident that left a five-year-old girl with a serious brain injury.
Britt Reid, the son of Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and an employee of the team, was driving 84mph in a 65mph zone when his Dodge Ram truck hit two cars parked on an interstate ramp near the team’s Arrowhead Stadium.
Ried agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors before he was sentenced for the 4 February 2021 incident, which took place just days before the Chiefs played in the Super Bowl, according to KTVU.
Ariel Young was one of five people injured. Per the local news outlet, her family says that although her health has improved she still drags a lot, has bad balance and must wear thick glasses for her vision.
A lawyer for her family has slammed prosecutors for accepting a plea deal or trying to ensure the maximum punishment of seven years in prison.
Reid had a blood-alcohol level of 0.113 per cent two hours after the crash, police said. The legal limit is 0.08 per cent.
After the sentencing, a lawyer for the family said they were outraged that Reid didn’t get the full seven years allowed by law.
“No amount of prison time will ever be enough to punish the Defendant for the pain and suffering he caused this family and the ongoing difficulties that Ariel will continue to endure for the rest of her life,” they said in a statement.
Reid’s attorney, JR Hobbs, said in a statement that his client respected the judge’s decision.
“He sincerely regrets and accepts responsibility for his conduct and hopes and prays for (Ariel’s) continued recovery,” the statement said.
The Chiefs had already reached a confidential settlement with the youngster’s family to pay for her ongoing medical treatment and other expenses.
“I really regret what I did,” Reid said at the time, according to KTVU. “I made a huge mistake. I apologise to the family. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”
Police said that one of the cars had a dead battery and that Ariel’s mother had arrived at the scene to help out.
