Dunk Law Firm announced today that the family of Dr. Kennedy Reed, has retained the firm to represent them in the pursuit of justice for Dr. Reed's death. The family is committed to holding every responsible party fully accountable and will pursue all available legal remedies arising from the crash that took Dr. Reed's life on August 4, 2026.
According to the firm's investigation, a patron of a St. Louis-area lounge was served alcohol on the afternoon of August 4, 2026, past the point of visible intoxication. That patron left the establishment, got behind the wheel, and ran a stop sign at North Euclid Avenue and Martin Luther King Drive at a high rate of speed, colliding with Dr. Reed's vehicle and killing her.
Kennedy Reed was 26 years old and a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis at Washington University School of Medicine. Originally from Mississippi, she earned her undergraduate degree in biochemistry from Alcorn State University, where she was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. Washington University has since posthumously named her “Dr. Kennedy Reed” and will confer her Ph.D. degree in May 2027; the university has also established a memorial scholarship in her name to fund undergraduate research for students from her alma mater.
Dunk Law Firm has formally notified the establishment of the family's claim and demanded that it preserve all surveillance footage, sales records, personnel files, and alcohol-service documentation from that day. “Dram shop” laws hold bars, restaurants, and other licensed establishments liable when they serve alcohol to a visibly intoxicated patron who goes on to cause injury or death.
There is an ongoing criminal investigation against the at-fault driver, and the family anticipates the maximum possible charges being filed against her for her actions.
“Kennedy Reed had a brilliant future ahead of her, and she should be alive today to see it. Establishments that serve alcohol to visibly intoxicated patrons don't get to walk away when that decision costs someone their life. Our firm is committed to getting the Reed family the justice and accountability they deserve, and we will pursue every avenue available to us,” said Orville Dunk, Dunk Law Firm.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact Dunk Law Firm at 713-223-1435 or info@dunklawyers.com.
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About Dunk Law Firm
Dunk Law Firm represents plaintiffs in personal injury and wrongful death matters. The firm takes cases nationwide to hold negligent individuals, businesses, and institutions accountable for the harm they cause. Dunk Law Firm is headquartered in Houston, Texas, with offices in Memphis, St. Louis, and Milwaukee. For more information, call (713) 223-1435 or visit www.slamdunklawyer.com.