The driver of a pickup truck that struck a youth soccer game in Wichita, Kansas, killing a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old father, will not be criminally charged, prosecutors said after completing their investigation.
The unidentified driver crashed into players and spectators at the Stryker Sports Complex on Oct. 17. Adrian Cole, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35, died in the collision, while several other people were hurt.
In a 28-page report issued Thursday, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said investigators found insufficient evidence to pursue charges. The report characterized the incident as an act of “negligence,” rather than a criminal offense.
Adrian Cole, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35, died after a pickup truck struck them at a youth soccer field in Wichita, Kansas. (Stockham Family Funeral home; Wiggins Funeral Homes and Cremation Services)
“The reasonable conclusion is that, while she slept, her foot unintentionally hit the gas pedal while the truck was in gear,” investigators wrote. However, they were unable to determine precisely how the vehicle shifted into drive.
A pickup truck drove through a youth soccer game at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas, on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026, killing two people, including a 6-year-old boy. (REUTERS)
Oct. 17
The driver had traveled from Garden City to Wichita in her husband’s 2021 Chevrolet Silverado to attend her children’s soccer games.
After arriving at Stryker Sports Complex and watching games, she drove to two fast-food restaurants and a business before returning to the facility.
She parked in a space facing one of the fields and later told detectives she thought the truck was in park. She reclined the seat and fell asleep, while one of her children placed sunshades across the windshield.
The pickup crossed the curb and entered the field, striking spectators. Cole and Schafer were killed, and 10 other people were injured.
- The driver traveled from Garden City in her husband’s 2021 Chevrolet Silverado for her children’s soccer games in Wichita.
- She watched games at Stryker Sports Complex, made stops at two fast-food restaurants and a business, then returned to the complex.
- After parking in a space facing the field, she said she believed the truck was in park, reclined her seat and went to sleep. A child placed sunshades over the windshield.
- The truck rolled over the curb and onto the field, hitting spectators, killing two people and injuring 10 others.
- Autopsies determined that both victims died from blunt-force trauma “consistent with being struck by a moving vehicle,” according to the report.
- General Motors technicians inspected the pickup and found no evidence of a mechanical defect or system failure.
- District Attorney Marc Bennett released the findings and said Kansas law did not provide a basis for criminal charges.
Toxicology testing found no impairing substances in the driver’s system. Investigators also ruled out a mechanical problem and a medical emergency as causes of the crash.
LSU STUDENT AND FIREFIGHTER FIANCÉ MOWED DOWN NEAR CAMPUS, IMPAIRED UNDERAGE DRIVER ARRESTED
The Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas, was the scene of a deadly crash after a vehicle drove onto a soccer field on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. (Google Maps)
Prosecutors said they could not prove the driver “knowingly” or “recklessly” placed anyone in danger, a requirement for criminal charges under Kansas law.
The report further concluded that a single negligent act did not meet the legal standard for a vehicular manslaughter charge in the state.
Investigators reviewed surveillance video, cellphone footage, toxicology results and a vehicle reconstruction, and conducted more than 100 interviews.
Police responded to the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas, after a pickup truck drove into a youth soccer game, killing two people and sending 11 others to the hospital. (REUTERS)
Adrian’s obituary described him as “full of life, humor, and an unmistakable vibrancy that drew people to him.” It said the young boy was a natural jokester who loved making others laugh, easily formed friendships across generations and truly enjoyed connecting with those around him.
Schafer’s obituary said Nick was a proud Navy veteran who served his country honorably. He loved the outdoors and treasured the time he spent in nature with his children.
