Police identify 6-year-child, adult killed when truck drove onto Kansas soccer field, no charges filed so far

WICHITA, Kan. – Wichita Police say the woman who was taken into custody after driving a truck onto a soccer field on Saturday afternoon, killing 2 and injuring nearly a dozen others, has not been charged pending test results in the ongoing investigation. 

What we know:

Police have identified the two victims of Saturday’s crash as 6-year-old Adrian Cole and 35-year-old Nicholas Schafer. Police said both were from McPherson, Kansas, but they were not related. 

Meanwhile, police say the 34-year-old woman who drove the truck onto the soccer field at the Stryker Sports Complex was released from custody pending the results of toxicology testing and a mechanical examination of the vehicle. 

“No charges have been filed at this time, and investigators continue working to determine the circumstances that led to the crash,” police said in a statement on X.

What they’re saying:

Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan expressed his condolences to the families, and everyone affected by the tragedy. 

“Our hearts are with the families of Adrian and Nicholas as they face an unimaginable loss,” he said. “What should have been a day of children playing soccer and families spending time together ended in tragedy.”

He said they are also thinking about the victims who were injured, their loved ones and the witnesses to the crash. 

“We know this tragedy has affected many people throughout our community, and we want those families to know they are not alone,” he said. “Our officers and investigators will continue working to understand exactly what happened.”

Sullivan said during a Saturday evening news briefing that he was grateful to community members who immediately stepped in to help victims before first responders arrived at the scene. 

“It was truly amazing, but I think it’s indicative of the Wichita community,” he said during that briefing.

The backstory:

Police Capt. Aaron Moses said Sedgwick County dispatchers began receiving 911 calls Saturday at approximately 3:25 p.m. after a truck drove onto an active soccer field.

In addition to the two victims who were pronounced dead at the scene, the impact of the crash injured 10 others, ranging in age from 5 to 68 years old. Those victims, whom police have not named, included: 

• A 5-year-old girl
• A 5-year-old boy
• Two 8-year-old boys
• A 9-year-old girl
• A 28-year-old woman
• A 32-year-old man
• A 59-year-old woman
• A 65-year-old woman
• A 68-year-old man

Police said a 61-year-old woman who did not suffer traumatic injuries from the impact did experience medical complications as a result of the incident, which brought the total number of people EMS officials took to area hospitals to 11. 

All of their injuries were believed to be noncritical and non-life-threatening, police said. 

Moses said the driver of the truck stayed at the scene and had two of her children in the truck at the time. He said the driver had another child who was playing soccer at the time on a different field. 

Police said they interviewed more than 30 witnesses, including the two children who were in the truck before they spoke with the driver. 

When asked on Saturday night if the driver was under arrest, Moses would only say she was in custody. 

Police have asked anyone who was at the sports complex at the time of the crash and who might have taken photo or videos to send them to the police department. The agency posted a link on its social media for people to send that media.

 

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