NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
The driver of a pickup truck that crashed into a Kansas football field, killing a young boy and a man, has been released without charges as investigators work to determine what turned a Saturday afternoon of youth sports into tragedy.
Wichita police announced Sunday that the 34-year-old woman was released pending toxicology results and a mechanical examination of her Chevrolet pickup truck. Authorities also identified those killed as Cole Adrian, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35, both of McPherson, Kansas. They were not related.
Five children were among 10 people injured when the truck rolled from a parking space onto a field at the Stryker Sports Complex around 3:25 p.m. Saturday, police said.
WE VIEW YOUTH SPORT WRONG AND THIS CAN LEAD TO INJURIES AND BURNOUT
Police responded to the Striker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas, after a van drove through a youth football game Saturday afternoon, leaving two people dead and 10 others injured. (Reuters)
The woman, initially taken into custody, had two of her children in the pickup. Another of his children was playing soccer on another field in the complex.
His release followed interviews with more than 30 witnesses, including the children inside the truck, and consultation with the Sedgwick County Prosecutor’s Office, according to police.
SUPPORTERS OF ALABAMA SCHOOL BUS DRIVER ACCUSED IN FATAL CRASH SAY SHE SUFFERED FROM “MEDICAL CRISIS”
Investigators have not determined the causes of this fatal accident. Authorities have not confirmed whether this was intentional or a medical emergency, impairment or another factor.
The DA’s office told Fox News Digital that police are expected to make an initial presentation of the case to Prosecutor Marc Bennett early this week.
CAR RUNS INTO PEDESTRIAN ZONE, KILLING 2 AS POLICE ARRESTS DRIVER AND INVESTIGATE MOTIVE
Wichita police officials speak to reporters following the Oct. 17, 2026, crash at the Stryker Sports Complex that killed two people and injured 10 others. (Wichita Police Department)
“After this initial review of the case, our office will share information as appropriate,” the office said.
The crash sent emergency crews rushing to the sports complex in northeast Wichita, where bystanders had already stepped forward to help the injured. Adrian and Schafer died on the ground despite life-saving efforts.
FLORIDA STUDENT KILLED IN OVERTURNED SCHOOL BUS ACCIDENT
Ten people were taken to Ascension Via Christi and Wesley Medical Center with injuries that police described Sunday as non-critical. The injured children included a 5-year-old girl, a 5-year-old boy, two 8-year-old boys and a 9-year-old girl.
The five adults injured were aged 28 to 68. Another woman, aged 61, was hospitalized for medical complications unrelated to traumatic injuries, bringing the total number transported to 11.
The Sporting Wichita Academy said the tragedy shook a soccer community built around families and teammates, thanking first responders, medical personnel and bystanders who stepped in to help.
“Football is more than a game. It’s a community. It’s families in the stands, teammates standing next to each other and people coming together around a shared love of the game,” the academy wrote on Facebook. “Today this community is suffering and we need to lean on each other more than ever.”
Two people, including a 6-year-old boy, were killed after a pickup truck crashed through a youth football game at the Striker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. (Reuters)
As investigators search for answers, a restaurant steps in to help grieving families and those whose loved ones are hospitalized.
Meddys has committed to donating 20% of all revenue from its Wichita and Salina locations from October 18-24 to families affected by the tragedy.
The company also provided free meals to the immediate families of the injured for as long as their loved ones remain hospitalized.
“With so much to carry right now, figuring out your next meal shouldn’t be another worry,” Meddys wrote on Facebook.
The restaurant partnered with the Kingdom Athletics Mission, a local nonprofit, to receive and distribute donations to affected McPherson families after people outside the area asked how they could help. Meddys said the nonprofit will handle both GoFundMe donations and corporate contributions.
“Wichita is our home. They are our neighbors. In times like this, we look out for each other,” the company wrote.
PANTHERS GREAT JONATHAN STEWART EXPLAINS WHY YOUTH SPORTS ARE IMPORTANT BEYOND THE FIELD
Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan also offered his condolences to the families on Sunday.
“What should have been a day of kids playing soccer and families spending time together ended in tragedy,” he said. “We are also thinking of those injured, their loved ones and all those who witnessed what happened. We know this tragedy has affected many people in our community and we want these families to know they are not alone.
The fatal crash also interrupted the inaugural Kansas State High School Activities Association girls’ flag football state championship, which was being held on an adjacent field. The association suspended play and said matches would not resume this weekend.
At Saturday’s news conference, Wichita Police Capt. Aaron Moses said the driver had a valid license, had no outstanding arrest warrants and was cooperating with investigators.
Sullivan highlighted the unanswered question facing investigators.
“We know what happened, but now we are working very hard to find out why it happened,” he said Saturday.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Police are asking anyone with information about the crash to call investigators at 316-268-4407. Anonymous tips can be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.
Brittany Miller and Michael Sinkewicz of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
Gn headline
