Wichita DA drops charges in soccer field crash that killed two
Prosecutors ruled the driver's slumber resulted in negligence rather than criminal recklessness, ending a month-long investigation into the Oct. 17 tragedy.
By Chioma Brooks ·
Wichita residents gathered at the Stryker Sports Complex on Oct. 17 for youth soccer matches when a pickup truck crossed a curb and struck spectators. The collision killed Cole Adrian, age 6, and Nicholas Schafer, age 35, while injuring 10 others. Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett announced on Thursday that the driver will not face criminal charges.
Bennett released a 28-page report detailing the findings of a month-long inquiry. The document concludes that the crash stemmed from negligence, not a criminal act. Under Kansas law, prosecutors must prove a driver knowingly or recklessly endangered others to file charges. Bennett's team determined a single act of negligence did not meet that threshold for vehicular manslaughter.
The incident began at 7 a.m. when the driver left Garden City in her husband’s 2021 Chevrolet Silverado. She arrived in Wichita to attend her children’s games. Between 10:40 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., she visited two fast-food restaurants and a business before returning to the complex.
At 2:36 p.m., she parked facing a field. The driver later told detectives she believed she engaged the parking brake, reclined her seat, and fell asleep. A child placed sunshades over the windshield. By 3:22 p.m., the truck moved over the curb and onto the grass. Investigators noted they could not determine how the truck came to be in drive, but found her foot unintentionally hit the gas pedal while she slept.
General Motors technicians examined the vehicle on Oct. 28 and found no mechanical malfunction. Toxicology tests showed no impairing substances, and investigators ruled out a medical emergency. Autopsies confirmed both victims died of blunt trauma consistent with being struck by a moving vehicle. The investigation involved more than 100 interviews, surveillance footage, and a full vehicle reconstruction.
Obituaries for the victims described Adrian as a natural jokester who loved making people laugh. Schafer was remembered as a proud Navy veteran who found happiness in the outdoors with his children. Bennett stated that Kansas law did not support criminal charges based on the evidence gathered.
The DA’s office will close the criminal case following the release of the report. The victims’ families may pursue civil remedies separately. No further criminal proceedings are scheduled.
