Britt Reid expected early release from prison, even before surprise commutation from Parson

Former Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid was expecting to be released from prison early, but Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s commutation of his sentence made it sooner than he anticipated, his attorney in his divorce proceedings said in a statement.

Reid, who was convicted of driving while intoxicated and causing a crash that severely injured a 5-year-old girl, anticipated being released April 30 due to time served and completing an intensive treatment program while in custody, said Katie McClaflin, Reid’s attorney.

“He learned of the commutation the day prior to being released. Now that he is out of prison, he’ll continue focusing on maintaining sobriety and being an engaged and present father to his three children,” McClaflin said.

Parson’s decision comes as Reid faces a contested divorce case involving his wife, Kristen Reid, that has often focused on the couple’s finances and the family’s significant spending.

His release came hours before his commutation became public knowledge. He remains under parole supervision, the Missouri Department of Corrections said Monday.

Reid, 38, will serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest, according to Parson’s office.

Reid, who is the son of Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, pleaded guilty to a single felony charge of driving while intoxicated, causing serious injury, for the Feb. 4, 2021 crash.

The pickup Reid was driving slammed into one of two vehicles on the side of the entrance ramp along Interstate 435, near the team’s practice facility.

Ariel Young, who was 5 years old at the time, was a passenger in one of the vehicles. Ariel suffered a traumatic brain injury and spent 11 days in a coma.

He was driving 83 mph two seconds before the collision and had had a serum blood alcohol content of 0.113 about two hours after the crash, prosecutors said. The legal limit is 0.08, according to Missouri law.

Reid pleaded guilty in September 2022 and the following month was sentenced to three years in prison.

In commuting Reid’s sentence, Parson’s office said he had served more time than most others convicted of a similar crime.

Parson’s decision came under harsh criticism, including from members of his party. Critics condemned the action as aiding a man of privilege and connections while inflicting further pain on Ariel Young’s family.

In a written statement from the governor’s office to a series of questions from The Star on Tuesday, Parson expressed his “deepest sympathy” to the girl’s family.

Parson, the statement said, “expresses his deepest sympathy for any additional heartache this commutation has caused the Young Family, as that was certainly not his intention.”

The Star’s Kacen Bayless, Jonathan Shorman and Katie Moore provided some information for this story.