GoFundMe for 5-year-old injured in crash involving Chiefs’ Britt Reid raises thousands
A GoFundMe launched by the family of a 5-year-old critically injured in a three-vehicle crash involving Chiefs coach Andy Reid’s son Britt Reid has raised thousands, as of Saturday evening.
The GoFundMe, “5 year old Ariel critically injured in DUI crash,” had raised more than $40,000 as of 6:00 p.m. Saturday. It details the child’s injuries and links to local media reports about the Thursday night crash involving Britt Reid, a Chiefs assistant linebackers coach. The crash is under investigation for impairment.
GoFundMe spokeswoman Madeline Purdue verified the fundraiser to The Star.
“The fundraiser was launched by a family member and our Trust & Safety team has reached out to the organizer to ensure that funds safely reach Ariel’s mother,” Purdue said in a statement.
More than 1,200 people have contributed.
In the GoFundMe, the organizer writes that Ariel just turned 5 years old and suffered swelling and bleeding in her brain. The organizer wrote that she has not woken up since the crash.
“No child deserves to go through this, nor should any mother have to see her child like this,” the organizer Tiffany Verhulst wrote.
The money will go to the hospital bills and weeks of missed work for the child’s mother.
Crash involving Chiefs’ Britt Reid
Kansas City police said the crash happened at about 9:10 p.m. Thursday. A gray Chevrolet Impala ran out of gas and stopped on the southbound ramp from Stadium Drive to I-435, Capt. David Jackson, a Kansas City Police Department spokesman, said in an email Friday.
Initially, the Impala’s flashers were on, but the battery was dying, police said. The driver called his cousins for help, and they parked their silver Chevrolet Traverse south of the Impala with their lights on.
A white Ram Laramie Sport pickup, driving on the ramp to get on I-435, struck the left front of the Impala before continuing south and slamming into the Traverse. The drivers of both the Impala and the Traverse and a front seat passenger were not injured.
A 4-year-old with injuries that were not life-threatening was also taken to the hospital.
The Star previously reported the pickup driver had injuries that were not life-threatening. Kansas City TV station KSHB reported the pickup was driven by Reid, 35.
According to KSHB, a police officer said they could smell “a moderate odor of alcoholic beverages” and noticed Reid’s eyes were “bloodshot and red.” Reid allegedly told police he’d consumed “two to three drinks,” KSHB reported, citing a search warrant application.
Police did not identify Reid, but the Chiefs said in a statement Friday afternoon that they are aware of Reid’s involvement.
“We are in the process of gathering information, and we will have no further comment at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved,” the Chiefs said in a statement.
Andy Reid will coach the Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Sunday in Tampa, according to the AFC pool report completed by The Star’s Herbie Teope.
But Britt Reid did not make the trip. According to ESPN reporter Dianna Russini, he is in the hospital and could remain there for days.
Jackson, the KCPD spokesman, could not confirm Reid’s hospitalization, but he did not dispute other media reports. Jackson said the crash remains under investigation and he could not comment any further.
On Saturday, Jackson reiterated that the crash investigation could take weeks to complete. Investigators would need toxicology, crash reconstruction results and interviews from witnesses.
The case file would then be presented to the Jackson County prosecutor who will determine whether criminal charges would be filed.
“Most criminal investigations take weeks to investigate. This is no different,” Jackson said in an email statement Saturday. “We treat each case with respect regardless of who is involved.”
In 2008, Britt Reid pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of a controlled substance in the Philadelphia area.
The Star’s Glenn E. Rice, Herbie Teope and Sam McDowell contributed to this report.
This story was originally published February 6, 2021 at 5:56 PM.
