Driver released without charge after pickup kills two on Kansas youth soccer field

The 34-year-old woman who drove a pickup truck onto a youth soccer field in Wichita, Kansas, killing two people and injuring ten, has been released without charge while police continue to investigate, authorities said on Sunday (Reuters).

The Chevrolet pickup had been parked in a space near the fields at the Stryker Sports Complex before it sped onto a pitch at about 3.25pm on Saturday, police said. Two of the woman’s children were in the truck at the time, and a third was playing soccer on a different field at the complex (CNN).

Those killed were six-year-old Cole Adrian and 35-year-old Nicholas Schafer, both of McPherson, Kansas, who were not related and were pronounced dead at the scene. Ten others aged from 5 to 68, including five children, were taken to hospital with injuries ranging from bruises to severe, though none believed to be life-threatening; an 11th person was hospitalised for medical complications unrelated to traumatic injuries (CNN, USA Today).

Her release followed interviews with more than 30 witnesses, including the two children inside the truck, and consultation with the Sedgwick County district attorney’s office. Toxicology testing and a mechanical examination of the vehicle are under way, and police will present an initial review of the case to prosecutors early this week (Reuters, AP).

“Our hearts are with the families of Adrian and Nicholas as they face an unimaginable loss. What should have been a day of children playing soccer and families spending time together ended in tragedy,” Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan said. Police said the woman, who has not been publicly identified, had been cooperative, and no charges have been filed to date (Reuters).