Two killed as pickup drives onto a Kansas children’s soccer field: former detective questions driver’s release without charges

Questions are being asked in the United States after a driver who drove a pickup truck onto a field during a children’s soccer game in Wichita, Kansas, killing two people, was released without any charges. Former sheriff’s detective and private investigator Jamie Copenhaver said law enforcement needed to do a better job of describing why charges have not been filed.

The incident happened on Saturday afternoon at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita. According to investigators, a woman drove onto the active field where children and families were present.

Those killed were Cole Adrian, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35, both from McPherson. Eleven other people were hospitalized with injuries.

Investigators interviewed the driver on the day of the crash. After several hours of questioning she was released. Wichita Police said she was released pending the results of toxicology testing and a mechanical examination of the vehicle.

In a statement on Tuesday, police said they have interviewed nearly 50 witnesses, with more interviews ongoing. Investigators are inspecting the truck, analyzing available vehicle data and continuing investigative work at the Stryker Sports Complex.

Police added that they are working closely with the Regional Forensic Science Center and awaiting official, peer-reviewed toxicology results. The driver remained at the scene and has been cooperative, they said.

Based on the information available on Sunday morning, and after consultation with the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, investigators did not have probable cause to arrest the driver, police said. They stressed that her release does not represent a final determination about whether criminal charges are appropriate, and that the investigation remains ongoing.

Police Chief Joe Sullivan said the case has captured the attention of people all over the country, many of whom hold strong opinions without direct knowledge of what occurred. He said the decision the law and the constitution required on Sunday morning may not be popular, but no one in the Wichita Police Department takes the oath to support the laws of Kansas and the Constitution of the United States for granted.

Police also said the driver had a valid driver’s license and no outstanding arrest warrants. Dispelling rumors circulating online, they noted that the driver is not in the country illegally, has no documented criminal history, and has no association with the Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office or any other law enforcement agency.

Copenhaver, a former Florida sheriff’s detective who worked with an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, said it may be necessary for law enforcement to release information about the woman’s physical health condition at the time of the incident to prevent conspiracy theories. People need a little more transparency as to why this may have occurred, he said.

According to Copenhaver, the truck’s black box data will give a better idea of whether something went mechanically wrong before the crash. The data will reveal possible contributing factors such as speed, whether she hit the brakes, the timing of the braking and how far the vehicle may have skidded. He added that results from alcohol-related testing usually come back within a day, while specialty testing for other substances or medications can take significantly longer.

No information about the driver’s medical condition at the time of the crash has been released. The toxicology report and the mechanical examination are therefore expected to determine the next direction of the investigation.