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An avid Chiefs fan, Parson on Friday announced he had granted clemency to Britt Reid, a former Chiefs assistant coach and son of head coach Andy Reid, who had been sentenced to three years in prison in 2022.

Britt Reid pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated and seriously injuring 5-year-old Ariel Young in a 2021 collision. Parson commuted Reid’s sentence to house arrest.

“The family is disgusted," said Tom Porto, an attorney for the Young family, the Kansas City Star reported. 

"If you drink and drive and you put a little girl in a coma, you should have to serve the entire sentence that a judge of this state gave you," he said.

Johnathan Shiflett, the governor’s spokesman, the Star on Tuesday that Parson “expresses his deepest sympathy for any additional heartache this commutation has caused the Young Family, as that was certainly not his intention.�

The action was also widely criticized by a range of politicians, including Republicans like Sens. Mary Elizabeth Coleman and Tony Luetkemeyer.

At a signing event earlier Tuesday in Jefferson City for his new book, “No Turnin’ Back,� the governor would not take questions that weren’t related to his book.

“No request, official or otherwise, was made on behalf of Mr. Reid for this commutation,� Shiflett told the Star.

Shiflett on Friday said the chief executive weighed several factors in his decision.

“Reid had completed his alcohol abuse treatment program and has served more prison time than most individuals convicted of similar offenses,� he said.

Missouri law requires the Board of Probation and Parole  so that they can be investigated. The board then submits a report to the governor and can make recommendations.

The Republican governor’s office has been active in processing clemency requests.

Information provided by the governor’s office last month said Parson had granted 710 pardons, commuted 21 sentences and had denied 2,809 clemency requests.

Reid’s house arrest will continue until Oct. 31, 2025, with requirements for weekly meetings with a parole officer and peer support sponsor and attendance at behavioral counseling. He also will be required to work at least 30 hours a week and complete 10 hours a month of community service, among other things.

The Chiefs declined to comment about Parson’s commutation of Reid.

Prosecutors said Reid was intoxicated and driving about 84 mph in a 65 mph zone when his Dodge truck hit the cars on an entrance ramp to Interstate 435 near Arrowhead Stadium on Feb. 4, 2021.

Ariel, who was in one of the cars, suffered a traumatic brain injury. A total of six people, including Reid, were injured. One of the vehicles he hit had stalled because of a dead battery, and the second was owned by Ariel’s mother, who had arrived to help.

Reid had a blood-alcohol level of 0.113% two hours after the crash, police said. The legal limit is 0.08%.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Updated at 9:33 p.m. Tuesday.