A Kansas mother who drove her pickup truck through a crowded youth soccer field, slaying two people and injuring several others, has been released without charges as investigators continue to examine what happened.
The crash turned an ordinary Saturday afternoon into a tragedy for families who had gathered to watch their children play.
Highlights
- A 34-year-old Kansas woman was released without charges after her truck struck people at a soccer field.
- The crash injured multiple people, including five children aged 5 to 9.
- Police are awaiting toxicology results and a mechanical examination of the truck.
Among those who lost their lives were a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man.
The driver, who also had two children inside her truck, reportedly cried out in shock after the collision.
Now, police are waiting for key test results before deciding what comes next.
A Kansas mom was released after she drove her pickup truck through a soccer field
Tom Fisk/Pexels (not the actual image)
The 34-year-old woman was driving a Chevrolet pickup truck when it struck people at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas, on the afternoon of October 17.
According to the Wichita Police Department, the woman was released without charges on Sunday, October 18, pending toxicology test results and a mechanical examination of the vehicle.
Police have not announced what caused the truck to accelerate onto the soccer field.
Investigators are still working to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
“No charges have been filed at this time, and investigators continue working to determine the circumstances that led to the crash,” the Wichita Police Department said in a statement.
Releasing the driver does not mean the investigation has ended. Authorities are still examining evidence to determine what happened before the truck entered the field.
The crash involved the truck driving onto a busy soccer field where families gathered
The crash happened at around 3:25 p.m. at the Stryker Sports Complex, where families had gathered to watch youth soccer matches.
Investigators said the Chevrolet pickup had been parked in a parking space near the soccer fields before it moved onto one of the fields and struck multiple people.
The driver had two children inside the truck at the time.
One of her children was participating in a soccer match at the complex, but the child was playing on a different field from the one where the crash occurred.
Police Captain Aaron Moses told reporters that the truck traveled from the east side of the sports complex to a field on the western side.
A witness described the terrifying moment to local outlet 12 News, saying, “[A] black pickup truck came plowing through the youth soccer fields, hitting multiple people before stopping 100-200 yards down the fields.”
The truck remained at the scene after the collision. However, authorities have not yet explained why it moved from the parking area onto the field.
The crash reportedly claimed the lives of a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man
The crash reportedly took the lives of Adrian Cole and Nicholas Schafer.
Both victims were from McPherson, Kansas, and police confirmed that they were not related.
The passings left two families facing an unimaginable loss, including the family of a young child who had been at the sports complex.
The crash also injured people ranging in age from 5 to 68, according to police. Five children between the ages of 5 and 9 were among those taken to the hospital with traumatic injuries.
Initial reports said 11 people were hospitalized following the incident, while police later confirmed that 10 people had suffered traumatic injuries. Some injuries were serious, although authorities said they were not believed to be life-threatening.
A 61-year-old woman was also taken to the hospital after experiencing medical complications that police said were unrelated to traumatic injuries from the crash.
Investigators have not yet provided a complete explanation of how each person was injured.
As other parents pulled the woman from the vehicle, she reportedly reacted in shock to what had happened
A reporter recounting the incident at a Saturday press conference said the driver shouted, “Oh my God, Oh my God, what have I done?!”
Police have not publicly established what caused the truck to move onto the field or whether a medical issue, a vehicle problem, or another factor played a role.
Initial reports described the driver as cooperative with the investigation. Authorities have not announced any toxicology findings or results from the vehicle examination.
Those results could help investigators understand what happened before the collision, but police have not said when the tests will be completed.
As the crash unfolded, people attending the soccer games stepped in to help those who had been struck.
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said civilians provided “life-saving assistance” to injured people before emergency responders arrived.
“It was truly amazing, but I think it’s indicative of the Wichita community,” Sullivan said while praising the bystanders who helped at the scene.
Families had arrived at the complex for an afternoon of watching their children play soccer. Instead, many witnessed a deadly crash and rushed to help the victims.
Emergency crews responded to the scene and transported injured people to hospitals. Police then began investigating the collision, speaking with witnesses and examining the vehicle.
The tragedy also led to messages of support from local officials, who acknowledged the pain facing the victims’ families and the wider community
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan expressed his condolences in a statement released on Friday.
“Our hearts are with the families of Adrian and Nicholas as they face an unimaginable loss. What should have been a day of children playing soccer and families spending time together ended in tragedy.”
He also addressed those who survived the crash and the people who witnessed it.
“We are also thinking about those who were injured, their loved ones, and everyone who witnessed what happened,” Sullivan said.
“We know this tragedy has affected many people throughout our community, and we want those families to know they are not alone.”
Sullivan added that investigators would continue working to establish the facts.
“Our officers and investigators will continue working to understand exactly what happened.”
Wichita Mayor Lily Wu also spoke about the loss, describing the day as heartbreaking for the city.
“Today is a heartbreaking day for Wichita; families came to Stryker Sports Complex to enjoy a Saturday afternoon watching their children play soccer. Nobody could have imagined the tragedy that would unfold,” Wu said.
“My heart breaks for the families who’ve lost loved ones, especially the family grieving the loss of a child,” she added.
Investigators are now examining the truck and waiting for toxicology results as they work to determine why the crash happened.
At this stage, police have not publicly confirmed whether the driver experienced a medical emergency, the truck suffered a mechanical failure, or another factor contributed to the collision.
The 34-year-old woman has been released without charges while the investigation continues. Police have not said whether they will file charges later.
“I would assume there’s more to come,” wrote one netizen
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