Earlier this week, former Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid was charged with a DWI in Kansas City, Missouri. The charge stems from an accident he caused in February that injured a young girl. Reid’s blood alcohol content was reported at 0.113 and he was allegedly driving 19 mph over the speed limit.
The accident occurred when the then-coach struck two cars near an entrance ramp on the side of the highway. They were parked in the shoulder because one of the vehicles had stalled, due to a dead battery. The driver of the other vehicle had come to help. Reid told police that he was attempting to merge onto the interstate when the collision occurred.
Sadly, a young girl was a passenger in one of the cars. She suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of the accident. She has since been released from the hospital, but is still unable to walk, talk or eat on her own.
The prosecutor expressed that her office plans to actively pursue the charges without giving Reid any preferential treatment. If convicted, Reid faces up to seven years in prison.
Drunk drivers can face both criminal and civil liability
In addition to criminal penalties, drunk drivers may also face financial liability through a civil lawsuit. Unlike criminal lawsuits, which are brought by the state, civil lawsuits are brought by private citizens – those injured, or in some cases, their family
A civil lawsuit will be appropriate if a victim is injured by a drunk driver or otherwise suffered a loss. The injured or their family can seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more. They may even be able to collect punitive damages. Obtaining this financial relief can be vital to families looking to recover from a severe accident and more forward.