A driver whose pickup truck plowed onto a youth soccer field, killing a young boy and a father, will not face criminal charges following an investigation, prosecutors announced.
asserted
prosecutors → plow → investigation
Last month, the driver, who has not been identified by authorities, drove into players and spectators at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita, Kansas.
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who → identify → Wichita
Adrian Cole, 6, and Nicholas Schafer, 35, were both killed and several others were injured in the Oct. 17 incident.
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others → kill → incident
On Thursday, a 28-page report released by Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said investigators did not find enough evidence to charge the driver, concluding the crash was the result of "negligence" rather than a criminal act.
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crash → release → negligence
The reasonable conclusion is that, while she slept, her foot unintentionally hit the gas pedal while the truck was in gear," the report says.
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report → sleep → gear
Investigators could not determine exactly how the truck came to be in drive.
uncertain
truck → determine → drive
The driver left Garden City in her husband’s 2021 Chevrolet Silverado, heading to Wichita for her children’s soccer games.
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driver → leave → games
10:40 a.m.–2:30 p.m.: She arrived at Stryker Sports Complex, attended games, left for two fast-food restaurants and a business, then returned.
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She → arrive → restaurants
She stopped in a parking stall facing a field.
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She → stop → field
She later told detectives she believed she put the truck in park, reclined her seat and went to sleep.
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she → tell → sleep
A child placed sunshades over the windshield.
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child → place → windshield
The truck moved over the curb and onto the field, striking spectators and killing the two victims, injuring 10 others.
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truck → move → others
The driver left Garden City in her husband’s 2021 Chevrolet Silverado, heading to Wichita for her children’s soccer games.
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driver → leave → games
She arrived at Stryker Sports Complex, attended games, left for two fast-food restaurants and a business, then returned.
asserted
She → arrive → restaurants
She stopped in a parking stall facing a field.
asserted
She → stop → field
She later told detectives she believed she put the truck in park, reclined her seat and went to sleep.
asserted
she → tell → sleep
A child placed sunshades over the windshield.
asserted
child → place → windshield
The truck moved over the curb and onto the field, striking spectators and killing the two victims, injuring 10 others.
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truck → move → others
Autopsies found that the victims died of blunt trauma "consistent with being struck by a moving vehicle," the report said.
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report → find → vehicle
- Oct. 28: General Motors technicians examined the truck and found no signs of a mechanical malfunction or system failure.
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technicians → examine → malfunction
- Nov. 12: District Attorney Marc Bennett released the report and concluded that Kansas law did not support criminal charges.
The driver's toxicology testing also revealed no evidence of impairing substances, and investigators ruled out a mechanical malfunction and medical emergency.
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investigators → release → malfunction
Prosecutors could not establish that the driver "knowingly" or "recklessly" endangered anyone, which is required by Kansas law for criminal charges the be considered.
uncertain
charges → establish → law
The report also says a single act of negligence was insufficient to support a vehicular manslaughter charge under state law.
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act → say → law
The investigation included more than 100 interviews, surveillance footage, cellphone video, toxicology results and a vehicle reconstruction.
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investigation → include → interviews
An obituary for Adrian said "He was full of life, humor, and an unmistakable vibrancy that drew people to him.
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that → say → him
Cole loved making people laugh and was always ready with a joke or playful comment.
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people → love → joke
He had a special gift for making friends with everyone, regardless of age, and genuinely loved connecting with the people around him."
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He → have → him
An obituary for Schafer said, "Nick was a proud Navy veteran who served his country with honor.
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who → say → honor
He had a deep love for the outdoors and found happiness in the beauty of nature and the time he spent outside with his children."
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he → have → children
The Aporia
