A 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man were killed when a pickup truck drove onto a youth soccer field in Wichita, Kansas, last Saturday. The driver was released without charges, and police now say online rumors about her are false.
Wichita police have shut down online rumors about the 34-year-old woman who drove a pickup truck onto a youth soccer field in Kansas, killing a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man.
The crash happened around 3:25 p.m. on Saturday, October 17, at the Stryker Sports Complex in northeast Wichita. The Chevrolet pickup had been parked in a space near the fields before it drove onto one of them during a youth game, hitting children and adults. According to the New York Post she screamed: “Oh my God, oh my God, what have I done?” after.
She had one child playing soccer on another field at the complex, and two children in the truck with her when it crashed, per ABC News.
Police named the victims who died as Cole Adrian, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35, both from McPherson. Ten other people were hurt, including five children, ages 5 to 9.
The rumor police has now shut down
On Tuesday, October 20, the Wichita Police Department responded to claims spreading online. “Claims that the driver is in the country illegally are false,” it said. Police also said the woman and her husband are not, and have never been, linked to the Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office or any law enforcement agency they know of.
The sheriff’s office has separately disputed a rumor that a local deputy was involved.
Investigators found no documented criminal history for the driver, and said she had a valid driver’s license and no outstanding warrants. Police have not named her, which they say is their practice when someone hasn’t been arrested or charged.
“Spreading rumors and unverified accusations adds confusion, causes further pain for grieving families and harms people who have no connection to this case,” the department said. It asked the public to rely on official updates.
Why the woman was released
The woman, from Garden City, stayed with the truck, and two of her children were inside. Another child was playing soccer on a different field. Police took her into custody and released her on Sunday, pending toxicology results and a mechanical examination of the vehicle.
They said they didn’t have probable cause to arrest her at that point, and that her release “does not represent a final determination” on whether charges are appropriate. Police Chief Joe Sullivan acknowledged the decision “may not be popular.”
Investigators have not said what caused the crash. They interviewed nearly 50 witnesses as of Tuesday evening.
The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office has completed an initial review. It said there is no timeline for a charging decision, which will depend on all investigative materials, including the toxicology results and the vehicle examination. Police said the findings will go to the DA’s office.
The sports complex has since reopened, and the city of Wichita is looking at permanent barriers, KWCH reported. A vigil was also held for the victims.
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