No Criminal Charges for Driver in Deadly Soccer Field Crash That Killed 6-Year-Old
Andrew Powell · Nov 13, 2026 · 2 min read
A Kansas driver whose pickup truck plowed into a youth soccer field, killing a 6-year-old boy and a father, will not face criminal charges after prosecutors determined the deadly crash resulted from negligence rather than a criminal act.
According to Fox News, Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett announced the decision Thursday after releasing a 28-page investigative report examining the Oct. 17 incident at Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita.
The crash claimed the lives of Cole Adrian, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35. Ten other people were injured when the Chevrolet Silverado struck players and spectators gathered near the field.
According to investigators, the driver had parked near the soccer field earlier that afternoon, believing she had placed the truck in park. She reclined her seat and fell asleep, while a child placed sunshades over the windshield.
The report said investigators believe the truck began moving after the driver's foot unintentionally pressed the accelerator while the vehicle remained in gear.
"The reasonable conclusion is that, while she slept, her foot unintentionally hit the gas pedal while the truck was in gear," the report stated. Investigators could not establish exactly how the vehicle shifted into drive.
The driver had traveled from Garden City to Wichita that morning with her children for their soccer games. After arriving at the complex around 10:40 a.m., she attended games, visited two fast-food restaurants and a business before returning to the parking area.
At approximately 3:22 p.m., the truck crossed a curb and entered the soccer field, striking those nearby.
Investigators examined several possible explanations for the crash. Toxicology testing found no evidence of impairing substances, and General Motors technicians examined the truck on Oct. 28, finding no mechanical malfunction or system failure.
Authorities also ruled out a medical emergency.
The investigation included more than 100 interviews, surveillance footage, cellphone videos and a vehicle reconstruction. Autopsies determined both victims died from blunt-force trauma consistent with being struck by a moving vehicle.
Bennett said Kansas law did not support criminal charges because prosecutors could not establish that the driver knowingly or recklessly endangered others. A single act of negligence was also insufficient to support a vehicular manslaughter charge under state law.
Adrian's obituary remembered him as a lively, humorous child who loved making others laugh and forming friendships.
Schafer was remembered as a proud Navy veteran who cherished the outdoors and spending time with his children.