The family attorney for a 5-year-old girl involved in a devastating three-car crash last month is speaking out for the first time.
In an exclusive interview with “Good Morning America,” Tom Porto, the family attorney of the Young family -- whose daughter, Ariel, 5, was injured after former Kansas City Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid struck their vehicle -- is describing the severity of the wreck that nearly killed the five-year-old girl.
Ariel is still fighting for her life in a Kansas City, Missouri, hospital with a brain injury and unable to speak, according to Porto.
“This wasn’t a fender bender,” Porto told “Good Morning America.” “This was a serious life-altering event.”
Early last month, Reid -- who is also the son of Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid -- hit a car belonging to Ariel’s family. Her mom, aunt and 4-year-old cousin had pulled over to the side of a highway to help a 19-year-old family member whose car had run out of gas. According to police, Reid was driving at highway speeds when his pickup truck struck the first car.
Ariel, who was in the second car, suffered life-threatening injuries, while her 4-year-old cousin, who was also in the car, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Both were transported to the hospital. The driver of the car Reid hit first and the two adults in the second car sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
“She’s awake, which is a huge development,” Porto said of 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.”
In exclusive photos obtained by ABC News, Reid’s truck was totaled and the two cars that police say he ran into -- including Ariel’s backseat, in which she was sitting in the second row of her vehicle – was flattened and unrecognizable.
“When you look at those pictures, you wonder how anybody made it out of that car alive,” Porto said.
According to a search warrant application obtained by ABC News, an officer on-scene reported smelling “a moderate odor of alcoholic beverages emanating from [Reid].” Reid told the officer he’d had “2-3 drinks” and was on the prescription drug “Adderall.”
He was injured in the wreck and taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries and did not join the Chiefs in Tampa for the Super Bowl.
The investigation is ongoing and no charges have yet been filed in the case.
“We’re going to be advocating for the most serious charges and the most serious sentence that Britt could ever receive,” Porto said. “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.” [Reply]
Originally Posted by SuperBowl4:
I wouldn't be surprised if Andy Reid is released by Clark Hunt.
Lol you wouldn't be surprised?
For real?
If you honest to God wouldn't be surprised if Clark Hunt released possibly the greatest head coach ever because his son's a fucking idiot, then I wouldn't be surprised if your dad was also your brother. [Reply]
Originally Posted by cooper barrett:
It's a sad day learning that she is awake but is so badly injured that she lacks motor functions. I didn't hear anything about her ability to speak which was mentioned somewhere that she lacked.
I would guess that Britt Reid knows by now if he was over .08 from hospital lab work that is not admissible in court. I'd hate to have this burden of disabling, or worse, a little girl riding on my shoulders. The DUI charge that will be filed is definitely going to be a felony if the charge sticks. If the children were unrestrained then a felony charge probably won't stick IMHO.
I'd like to see some hi res pictures of the wrecked cars. Anyone found them?
The antenna on the top of the Traverse is as I recall about a foot in from the top of the rear hatch. In the picture it looks like it's in the front. Is it on the rear on all years?
The picture shows the driver's seat laid back but not the rear seat, it is still upright and there is no sign of child seats. It will be interesting to find out what gear the SUV was in, if flashers were activated, children unrestrained and any other magic that can be extracted from cell phone or CPU satellite data
It appears that ABC has a large array of photos (or whoever they bought them from) but only published the most condemning and made them small, low res. images.
From the pictures, a buzzed, if not DUI Reid was probably driving down an entrance ramp he had driven a thousand times (with no posted speed limits) at 55-60 or more. An SUV was stopped on the highway and He failed to stop in time to avoid a collision, seriously injuring 2 children who apparently were not in children's safety seats.
It appears that the drivers and passenger's seat were occupied as both seats were broken. It appears that the Traverse had just arrived as all parties were still in their respective cars.
Looking at the dented (steel) wheel on the Impala, and no white paint to be found, yet a black mark on the fender, front end missing, and the tire rolled under the way it is just does not look right. Dragging it onto a flat bed could be the reason for the tires appearance but the wheels impact point looks like the front wheel on the truck hit it but there are no pictures.
If you go down the entrance ramp there are several areas where it is 2 lanes and others that are one lane. There is a possibility that the traverse was parked in the road and not on the side of the road. Has there been anyone who said they passed both the vehicles or even saw both cars on the ramp that night? You should drive the exit ramp on Google Maps so you can see what I mean. https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0560...7i13312!8i6656
This is going to get interesting but when Attorneys start doing live exclusive guest appearances on national TV, you know there's something funky smelling being thrown at your face. I personally am thinking the attorney is shamelessly self promoting himself but that's just me.
Britt Reid is a pampered piece of shit who deserves to spend the next 20 years of his life in maximum security prison. Anyone defending him is a fucking asshole.
That's what should be said every time this case is mentioned. [Reply]
Originally Posted by dlphg9:
Lol you wouldn't be surprised?
For real?
If you honest to God wouldn't be surprised if Clark Hunt released possibly the greatest head coach ever because his son's a ****ing idiot, then I wouldn't be surprised if your dad was also your brother.
Nice spin but you obviously don't know Clark Hunt. "greatest head coach ever"?? Not even close. Try again [Reply]
Originally Posted by mkp785:
Britt Reid is a pampered piece of shit who deserves to spend the next 20 years of his life in maximum security prison. Anyone defending him is a fucking asshole.
I guess I am a fucking asshole. I didn't rush to judgement with Reek, I am not rushing to judgement with Britt. It's "innocent until proven guilty". Most everyone here wants to be judge, jury and executioner. HOW many times will some people jump to conclusions without the entire story?
He might be guilty. He might be innocent. Time will tell.
Maybe.......just maybe.....we should wait to find out. It's a sad situation, no matter what. [Reply]
Originally Posted by SuperBowl4:
Nice spin but you obviously don't know Clark Hunt. "greatest head coach ever"?? Not even close. Try again
Lemme guess...you were one of the asshats that dogpiled me because Geno Smith was gonna be the best QB EVAR!!!! And we HAVE to draft him.....:-) [Reply]
Originally Posted by TribalElder:
Family gonna get super paid
I have no idea on what will be awarded but it had better be a great deal of money. Caring for this child is going to be extremely expensive...and exhausting...not to mention emotionally devastating for the entire family. Depending on the type of brain injury she could live a fairly normal life span. [Reply]
Originally Posted by burt:
I guess I am a ****ing asshole. I didn't rush to judgement with Reek, I am not rushing to judgement with Britt. It's "innocent until proven guilty". Most everyone here wants to be judge, jury and executioner. HOW many times will some people jump to conclusions without the entire story?
He might be guilty. He might be innocent. Time will tell.
Maybe.......just maybe.....we should wait to find out. It's a sad situation, no matter what.
Unless it comes out that one of those cars jumped out into the on-ramp and caused the wreck, there's no way he's not at major fault. Even if they were blocking the on-ramp, that's on him to see things in the road and not hit them. [Reply]
Originally Posted by suzzer99:
Unless it comes out that one of those cars jumped out into the on-ramp and caused the wreck, there's no way he's not at major fault. Even if they were blocking the on-ramp, that's on him to see things in the road and not hit them.
I can't disagree with that. He is at fault.....but everyone jumps on him being drunk. We do't know this. I guess my point is, he is either guilty of a mistake or guilty of being a drunken POS....but let's not jump to either conclusion. [Reply]
2-3 drinks and the smell of alcohol is plenty. You're not going to smell like alcohol after 2 normal drinks unless you spill one on yourself. Even if it comes out he's at .05 - that still likely contributed to the crash.
Plus it's always more drinks than what people admit to the cops. Probably more like 5-6. [Reply]
