Cole Adrian, a six-year-old boy, has been identified after he was killed when a Kansas mother allegedly drove her pickup truck onto a youth soccer field during a match.
Cole died alongside 35-year-old Nicholas Schafer after the truck crashed onto the field at Wichita’s Stryker Sports Complex on Saturday. Ten other people, including five children, were injured in the incident.
Police said Cole and Schafer, both from McPherson and not related, were pronounced dead at the scene. The injured victims were taken to nearby hospitals in critical condition.
Cole’s devastated father described the sports-loving six-year-old as the “joy and light of our community.”
“Cole was an incredible kid and could put a smile on anyone’s face,” Chris Adrian told The New York Times. “His pure heart was open to everyone. He had the best laugh. He was a friend with everyone, young or old.”
Schafer’s family has declined to comment to the media.
The driver, identified only as a 34-year-old mother from Garden City, was released without charges on Sunday afternoon, Wichita Police said. She remains free while investigators await toxicology results and complete a mechanical examination of the vehicle.
Investigators have not explained why the woman was released. Police have also not said whether they suspect she was intoxicated, experienced a medical episode or was dealing with a mechanical problem involving the truck.
Two of the woman’s children were in the back of the truck when it entered the field, police said. A third child was playing in a game on another field at the sports complex.
Six-year-old Cole Adrian was killed Saturday when a Kansas mother allegedly drove her pickup truck onto a youth soccer field at Wichita’s Stryker Sports Complex.
Cole’s heartbroken father, Chris Adrian, pictured with his son, called the sports-loving boy the “joy and light of our community.”
Police allege the driver had been parked near the soccer fields before her vehicle moved onto the field at about 3:25 p.m.
PJ Kemp, whose children were playing at the complex, told the newspaper that he and several other bystanders ran toward the truck after it entered the field and came to a complete stop.
Kemp said an “entire sideline” of Good Samaritans then rushed to help those who had been hurt.
First responders quickly arrived and began treating the victims. Despite their efforts, Cole and Schafer died at the scene.
Ten people were hospitalized with traumatic injuries. Those hurt included two five-year-olds—a boy and a girl—two eight-year-old boys and a nine-year-old girl. The remaining injured victims were between 28 and 68 years old.
Police said a 61-year-old woman was also taken to the hospital for a separate medical issue.
Parents and other bystanders provided “life-saving assistance” to the injured, Wichita Police Department Chief Joe Sullivan said.
“It was truly amazing, but I think it’s indicative of the Wichita community,” Sullivan said.
Nicholas Schafer, 35, was also killed in the devastating crash. His family has declined to speak to the media.
The truck plowed onto the field at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita around 3.25pm. Two of the driver’s children had been in the back of her truck at the time of the incident, police said
Emergency responders wheel a stretcher near the scene of the horrific incident, which saw 10 people, including five children, rushed to area hospitals with traumatic injuries
Investigators interviewed more than 30 witnesses, including the two children that were in the vehicle at the time of the crash, before interviewing the driver.
Witnesses claim the driver shouted, ‘Oh my God, oh my God, what have I done?’ when she was pulled from the vehicle by bystanders at the event, according to the New York Post.
The driver remained at the scene and was subsequently taken into custody.
Investigators consulted with the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, but no charges have been filed at this time, police said. The driver was released on Sunday.
Authorities have not revealed whether they believe the deadly incident was deliberate or accidental.
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Investigators also do not know how fast the truck was going or how it managed to get on to the field, Police Captain Aaron Moses said.
But a witness told local television station 12 News that the ‘black pickup truck came plowing through the youth soccer fields hitting multiple people before stopping 100-200 yards down the fields.’
The witness described harrowing scenes as emergency responders rushed to help those struck by the vehicle.
Chris Adrian told the New York Times how Cole ‘was an incredible kid and could put a smile on anyone’s face’
The six-year-old had a ‘pure heart,’ ‘the best laugh’ and as a friend with everyone, young or old,’ his father shared
‘Dozens of emergency responders on scene giving CPR and rendering aid to victims,’ the witness said.
The account suggested the truck had traveled a considerable distance across the sports fields before finally coming to a stop.
Police are appealing for anyone with video footage of the incident to share it with them.
‘Regardless of how significant you believe your footage may be, we encourage you to submit it. Even the smallest detail could assist investigators,’ police said.
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan, in a statement Sunday, issued his condolences to the victims’ families.
‘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,’ Sullivan said.
‘We are also thinking about those who were injured, their loved ones and everyone who witnessed what happened. We know this tragedy has affected many people throughout our community, and we want those families to know they are not alone.
Schafer, pictured with his wife and children, appeared to be a father-of-three
A makeshift memorial was created with balloons, signs and stuffed animals near the crash site
Sullivan added: ‘Our officers and investigators will continue working to understand exactly what happened.’
Wichita Mayor Lily Wu said she’s ‘heartbroken’ and advised people to avoid the area, adding: ‘My thoughts and prayers are with everyone affected, especially the children and families involved.’
The tragedy unfolded at a venue popular with young soccer players and their families, turning what should have been an ordinary Saturday afternoon of sport into an emergency.
The Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) said play has been suspended for the flag football state championship following the deadly accident.
‘Games will not resume this weekend, but a later announcement will be made with updated game times,’ Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) said.
The association extended its condolences to the ‘families and teams impacted by the incident on a field adjacent to the flag football competition at Stryker Sports Complex Saturday.’
‘Given the nature of the emergency, we felt it was best to suspend the flag football third place and championship games until a later date. Details will be announced Monday,’ KSHSAA said.
The mother was pulled from the vehicle by other parents as bystanders attempted ‘life-saving assistance’ to those injured during the incident, Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said
Investigators examine items scattered across the grass as police tape surrounds the scene where a vehicle plowed through a soccer game, killing two people
Stryker Sports Complex in northeast Wichita, is a major regional soccer facility that hosts youth competitions and other sporting events.
Its extensive playing fields regularly attract young athletes, coaches and spectators from across the region.
The fact that the vehicle appeared to drive directly through a soccer game has raised urgent questions about how it came to enter the playing area.
