For Andy Reid's sons, troubling new questions

THE INVENTORY sheet reads like a hardened criminal's Christmas wish list: a Remington shotgun; a handful of pills; eight plastic baggies with white residue; a bottle filled with a green, leafy substance, and ammunition.

Few people would expect items like bullets and drug paraphernalia to be in a car driven by one of Andy Reid's broad-shouldered sons.

But according to court records, these - and much more - were discovered when police searched Britt Reid's 2004 GMC Denali Tuesday night, hours after he was involved in a road rage incident in West Conshohocken.

To make matters worse, another shocking twist was added to the Reid family drama yesterday: Police say Garrett Reid confessed to being high on drugs when he ran through a red light and totaled a woman's car in Plymouth Township Tuesday afternoon.

The new developments raised troubling questions about Andy Reid's two oldest sons and their involvement with illegal drugs.

But as another day passed without either Garrett, 23, or Britt, 21, being charged with committing a crime, another serious issue was raised: Are the sons of the Eagles head coach receiving special treatment?

"It might be favoritism or it might just be cautiousness," said Louis S. Schwartz, a Center City defense attorney who specializes in DUI and drug cases. "Being kids of a celebrity, [authorities] might be a little more cautious before they file charges."

Montgomery County District Attorney officials insisted that the Reid cases are being investigated by the book.

"I've asked the police in both Plymouth and West Conshohocken once they complete their investigations to get back in touch with our office," said Risa Vetri Ferman, the Montgomery County first assistant district attorney.

"Once they have completed their investigations and we have an opportunity to review everything, we will sit down and make decisions as to what charges, if any, are appropriate," she said. "I don't know exactly how long that is going to take us."

Andy Reid has yet to speak to reporters about the investigation, but attorney William J. Winning, who is representing Garrett and Britt Reid, issued a brief statement yesterday.

"The investigations by law enforcement authorities are pending," Winning said. "We are fully cooperating with law enforcement officials in that regard and will continue to do so.

"Until these matters are resolved, however, neither the Reid family nor I will have any further comment and we ask that the privacy of the Reid family be respected."

It's taken several days just to sort through the sordid mess the coach's sons found themselves in on Tuesday.

According to officials, Britt Reid got into a heated argument with another driver on Front Street near Matson Ford Road in West Conshohocken. The dispute, which police said was about one of the drivers being in the wrong lane, ended when Reid allegedly pointed a platinum-colored handgun at the other driver, smiled and then sped off. The frightened driver jotted down Reid's license-plate number and called the police.

West Conshohocken police obtained a search warrant and combed through Reid's GMC, which is registered in his parents' names.

Investigators recovered a Remington shotgun from the rear of the SUV, along with .45-caliber and .22-caliber magazines; rifle slugs; four small pills; a blue container with eight clear baggies stained with a white residue; a flashlight; a container with white powder; and a CVS/pharmacy bottle with Reid's name on the front, stuffed with a green, leafy substance.

A .45-caliber handgun and several rounds of hollow-point bullets were recovered during a search of the Reid's Lower Merion Township home.

Earlier this week, a law enforcement source said that neither Andy Reid nor his sons have permits to carry firearms or have guns registered in their names.

But Diane Edbril, executive director of CeaseFire PA, said state law does not mandate that guns must be registered. "You can own as many guns as you want and you don't have to register them," she said.

While you do need a permit to carry a concealed, loaded weapon, she said, you can transport a gun in your car as long as it's not loaded and the ammunition is in a separate container. It was unclear from the inventory of seized property whether the rifle found in the rear of Britt's SUV was loaded, though plenty of ammunition was found in various parts of the car.

Another law enforcement source said Garrett Reid was being tailed by cops for speeding just before he crashed into a Ford Taurus in Plymouth Township Tuesday afternoon, injuring a 55-year-old female driver.

When cops at the scene of the accident asked Garrett Reid if he was drunk, he said no - and then admitted to being high on drugs, the source said. Hypodermic needles were found inside his Jeep Liberty. Officials are still awaiting analysis of blood that was taken from Reid after the crash.

"He's not being treated any differently than anybody else," said Louis M. Natali Jr., a criminal law professor at Temple University. "They'll wait until toxicology comes back, and then they could charge him."

Garrett Reid was arrested in Utah in 2002 on drug charges and in Lower Merion Township in 2004 for retail theft. He also received several speeding tickets in Chester County and Montgomery over the past few years. *

Staff writers Dana DiFilippo and Kitty Caparella contributed to this report.