Girl injured in crash involving ex-Chiefs coach ‘likely has permanent brain damage’
Britt Reid was implicated in an accident that left a little girl in the hospital
Ariel Young may face permanent brain damage due to the car crash involving former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid.
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In an exclusive interview on Tuesday with Good Morning America, Tom Porto, the Young family lawyer, says the crash was a life-altering event.
“This wasn’t a fender bender,” said Porto. “This was a serious life-altering event.”
The crash took place on Feb. 4, and Ariel has been in the hospital ever since. Reid, who previously held a coaching position with the Kansas City Chiefs struck the vehicle the child was in, and another, leaving her in critical condition and harming another child who was in the car.
“She’s awake, which is a huge development,” said Porto in regards to Ariel. “She likely has permanent brain damage that she will endure for the rest of her life. She’s not walking — it’s a sad, sad, sad story.”
She is currently at a Kansas City, Missouri, hospital with a brain injury and has not been able to speak.
“We’re going to be advocating for the most serious charges and the most serious sentence that Britt could ever receive,” Porto told the publication. “We don’t have the toxicology back, I don’t know what it is going to be. What I do know are the statements that he made to police that night. If you have two or three drinks, and then you get behind the wheel of a car, you are likely over the legal limit.”
ABC News obtained photos of the crash that showed Reid’s car and the two others were completely totaled. The backseat Ariel was sitting in was completely caved in. Victims of negligent drivers must protect their rights and even hire an accomplished personal injury lawyer to handle their case. By hiring a legal representative for you or your loved one’s case, for instance a personal injury attorney or an auto accident attorney, you can get the compensation you deserve for the injuries you’ve sustained.
“When you look at those pictures, you wonder how anybody made it out of that car alive,” added Porto.
As previously reported by theGrio, an investigation is still going on surrounding the case and charges have yet to be filed.
Reid, 35, is currently under investigation. An officer reported Reid had “a moderate odor of alcoholic beverages emanating from his person” and noticed his eyes were “bloodshot and red.” The former coach told the officer he had a prescription for Adderall. The officer also reported “four clues of impairment.”
Andy Reid, head coach for the Kansas City Chiefs and Britt’s father, released a statement.
“My heart goes out to all those involved in the accident, in particular the family with the little girl fighting for her life,” he said to reporters. “I can’t comment on it any more than I am here, so the questions you have, I am going to have to turn those down at the time,” the elder Reid said.
“But just from a human standpoint — man, my heart bleeds for everyone involved in that.”
Ariel’s family has provided information on her recovery on a GoFundMe page which they updated on Tuesday.
“I know everyone wants a new update on Ariel, sadly there hasn’t been much progress since the last update. She remains awake but unresponsive, and will be in a wheelchair for the foreseeable future.”
The page has amassed over $500K in donations.
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“We don’t know how long it will take before she responds or talks again but we will never give up hope. I have attached the piece from today’s segment on Good Morning America, it gives context into what they went through that night. Her backseat almost flattened with two little girls inside it. Please continue to send your prayers and support to her and her mother.”
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