Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett and Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan confirmed the decision following a comprehensive investigation into the incident.
According to investigators, the driver had traveled to the complex from Garden City, Kansas, with her children, who were participating in soccer games that day. At approximately 3:25 p.m., the truck, which the driver reported was not her usual vehicle, moved onto an active soccer field.
Chief Sullivan said that the department’s efforts were thorough, deliberate, and guided by the facts at every step. Forensic examinations of the vehicle found no mechanical malfunctions or recalls, and blood tests confirmed the driver was not under the influence of any impairing substances. Medical records were subpoenaed to determine if the driver had experienced a medical episode, but results were negative.
Investigators examined six potential scenarios, including an intentional act, a mechanical failure, or a medical emergency, all of which were ruled out. The final analysis focused on how the vehicle, which had been parked against a 7-inch curb, was able to enter the field.
Chief Sullivan said that if the vehicle had been left in park, it would not have been able to clear the curb. This led to questions about who shifted the truck into drive and when, with Sullivan acknowledging, “There are some questions that we may never be able to answer with complete certainty.”
District Attorney Bennett explained that the investigation indicated the driver was asleep before the incident and did not intentionally drive onto the field. While the driver told police she had placed the truck in park, Bennett concluded it was most likely that she forgot to do so, and subsequently moved in her sleep, causing her foot to press the gas pedal.
Bennett said that this sequence of events does not meet the legal threshold for recklessness under Kansas law. He further said that Kansas does not have a negligent homicide offense, and the incident did not qualify for vehicular homicide.
“This is a civil matter that will be handled under a negligence standard, which is the standard in civil cases,” Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said.
Bennett also addressed the possibility of the driver’s children shifting the gears, noting that the “confluence of events” required for such an accident made that theory less plausible. He emphasized that the sound of the truck shifting into drive would have likely alerted the children inside the pickup.
In addition to the two fatalities, 10 other people ranging in age from 5 to 68 were injured. An additional 61-year-old woman was hospitalized for medical complications unrelated to the trauma, bringing the total number of people transported to medical facilities to 11. Chief Sullivan reported that the driver, who was taken into custody following the crash, was visibly distraught, noting she hysterically expressed regret following the incident.
Before the public announcement, officials met privately with the families of the victims to discuss the investigation’s conclusion. Chief Sullivan expressed the department’s sympathy, stating, “Our hearts are with the families of Adrian and Nicholas as they face an unimaginable loss.” He added that the department also remained focused on the injured victims, their loved ones, and the witnesses who were present during the tragedy.
Sullivan described the community’s response to the event as “truly amazing” and indicative of the Wichita community’s support for those affected.
