Son of Kansas City Chiefs Coach, Britt Reid, Admits to Drinking Before I-435 Crash

Son of Kansas City Chiefs Coach, Britt Reid, Admits to Drinking Before I-435 Crash

Warrant Reveals Britt Reid Admits to having “two or three drinks” prior to a car crash involving two small children, one of which sustained life-threatening injuries

About the Accident

Just two short days before his scheduled departure for Super Bowl LV in Tampa, FL, linebackers coach to the Chiefs, Britt Reid, found himself involved in a potentially deadly multi-vehicle collision injuring two young children.

Son of the Chiefs head coach, Andy Reid, Britt Reid has been on staff with the Chiefs since prior to the 2013 season.

In a comment made the Friday after the crash, a spokesperson for the Chiefs confirmed that Reid had been involved in a crash taken place that night prior, leaving one 5-year old in critical condition and injuring another (age 4). Reid himself suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

According to Kansas City, Missouri police, the crash occurred just after 9PM on southbound Interstate 435 proximal to Eastwood Trafficway. Police confirmed that a Chevy Impala was pulled over on the entrance ramp from Stadium Drive to I-435 due to running out of gas.

While being assisted by a family member parked in front of the stranded vehicle, a white Dodge Ram Laramie Sport pickup truck, now confirmed to have been driven by Britt Reid by his own admission, struck the left front of the Impala.

Drinking and Driving: a recipe for disaster

By Reid’s own admission to police, official statements reveal he had told police that he had “two or three drinks” prior to the crash. A search warrant confirmed that the officer on scene noted a “moderate odor of alcoholic beverages” on Reid following the crash. This warrant called for a drawing of Reid’s blood in order to run a toxicology report for any controlled substances as well as to measure blood alcohol levels.

A Few Drinks is All That it Takes for Impairment

This incident highlights the importance of abstaining from drinking and driving. Research as consistently demonstrating that even a few drinks may be all that’s necessary to cause a significant negative impact on reaction time and judgement. The extent to which alcohol played a role in this accident remains to be seen in court, but as it stands Reid has some tough questions to answer in the months ahead.

DUI Laws and Defense in Kansas City

Kansas City takes DUI cases seriously, with district attorneys aggressively pursuing charges for those found to be driving under the influence, and rightly so.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, every day over 30 people die from fatal accidents involving drunk driving across the United States. Yet, DUI cases can be complex and nuanced, with a multitude of factors to consider. Improper police procedure, medical conditions, miscalibrated breathalyzers, issues with chain of custody with evidence and more can unfairly put some drivers at risk of losing their license, paying hefty fines, and even spending time behind bars.

Justice and due process should be followed, and defendants given the opportunity in court to argue their case as outlined in the law. 

Disclaimer: All individuals mentioned in this piece are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.