Two Tennessee school athletes have been killed and 7 others injured when a reckless driver crashed right into a biking crew throughout their coaching journey Wednesday morning.
Milligan College sophomores Haylan Engdahl and Brayden Rogers have been a part of an 11-cyclist coaching session after they have been allegedly struck by 69-year-old John Benfield simply earlier than 9:00 a.m. on Freeway 19E in Hampton, Tenn, the Tennessee Freeway Patrol mentioned.
“We’re profoundly shocked and saddened to share that members of our biking crew have been in an accident involving a car this morning whereas biking,” Milligan College mentioned in a press release. “There are not any phrases to adequately describe this degree of loss. Our prayers are with all these impacted by this tragedy.”
Engdahl and Rogers have been pronounced useless on the crash web site — which occurred roughly 11 miles from campus — whereas seven injured cyclists have been rushed to close by Johnson Metropolis Medical Middle.
4 victims are in crucial situation within the Surgical Intensive Care Unit, with two others in steady situation, JMCU Trauma Director Dr. Bracken Burns mentioned.
The seventh bike owner was evaluated and later launched.
Officers didn’t publicly establish the injured athletes.
“At the moment has been an awfully tough day for lots of people in higher East Tennessee,” the Tennessee Freeway Patrol mentioned in a press release. “Households have misplaced family members. Others are ready for information about individuals who have been harm. Teammates, coaches and a whole college group try to course of one thing nobody anticipated when today started.
“We all know there are individuals hurting proper now, and earlier than we speak in regards to the investigation, we would like them to know that our hearts additionally break and we’re praying for them,” the THP mentioned.
Benfield, a resident of Newland, NC, was charged with two counts of vehicular murder by recklessness and 5 counts of aggravated assault by car by recklessness, Tennessee First Judicial District Legal professional Normal Steven Finney mentioned.
Finney didn’t present particulars in regards to the crash, together with whether or not the suspected driver was underneath the affect.
Further expenses could also be filed in opposition to Benfield following the investigation, Finney mentioned.
Benfield is being held in Carter County jail.
Finney didn’t fault the cyclists for the crash, saying they have been an skilled group who have been out for a typical coaching session.
“That is an elite biking crew. It’s not a bunch of membership guys getting collectively to journey. They know what they’re doing,” he mentioned.
Engdahl, a local of Winthrop Harbor, Sick., and Rogers, from Huntsville, Ala., have been mourned by the biking group as “two student-athletes whose lives have been taken far too quickly.”
“We’re deeply saddened to study of this morning’s tragic crash involving the Milligan College Biking crew. Our hearts exit to the 2 student-athletes whose lives have been taken far too quickly, Haylan Engdahl and Brayden Rogers, in addition to to the riders who have been injured,” USA Biking mentioned in a press release.
Engdahl had lately recovered from a damaged femur that he suffered after crashing throughout coaching in March, in keeping with his Instagram.
The teenager, who attended Christian Life College in Kenosha, Wisc. was remembered for his heat character.
“An exquisite particular person, infectious smile, magnetic persona, beloved life,” Jeff Bogaczyk, head of faculty at Christian Life College, informed ABC7 Chicago.
Wednesday’s deadly crash comes greater than 4 years after one other Milligan College athlete was killed in the same crash.
Sophomore runner Eli Cramer was out on a pre-track meet run with two teammates after they have been struck by a drunk driver in Lightfoot, Va., on March 31, 2022.
Jose Efrain Hernandez Mancia pleaded responsible to DUI involuntary manslaughter for the lethal hit-and-run crash, WAVY reported.
He was sentenced to 12 years in jail in April 2023.
