Two members of the Milligan University cycling team were killed and seven others injured Wednesday morning after a vehicle struck their training group in Hampton, Tennessee. The university confirmed that 11 team members were riding together approximately 11 miles from their campus in the Appalachian foothills when the collision occurred. A 69-year-old man from North Carolina has been arrested and charged with two counts of reckless vehicular homicide and five counts of aggravated assault by vehicle with recklessness.
Milligan University President Stephen Waers identified the deceased students as sophomores Haylan Engdahl of Winthrop Harbor, Illinois, and Brayden Rogers of Huntsville, Alabama. The injured student-athletes were transported to Johnson City Medical Center for treatment. According to the hospital’s trauma medical director, Dr. Bracken Burns, four students remained in critical condition as of Wednesday evening, while two were in stable condition and one had been discharged.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol (THP) reported that the crash took place on a rural stretch of Highway 19, where the posted speed limit is 50 miles per hour. District Attorney General Steven Finney noted at a Wednesday night press conference that the group was an "elite cycling team" composed of experienced riders. Earlier this year, the university's men’s cycling team won a national championship in the team time trial at the USA Cycling Collegiate Road Nationals.
The scale of the event involves nine households across at least three states—Tennessee, Illinois, and Alabama—who are now navigating the legal and medical aftermath of the crash. The legal proceedings against the 69-year-old driver will move through the Tennessee First Judicial District, where he faces seven felony charges. These charges, including reckless vehicular homicide, carry significant legal consequences that will be determined in upcoming court appearances, though specific dates for these hearings have not yet been released.
The investigation by the Tennessee Highway Patrol remains active as officials seek to determine the precise circumstances that led to the vehicle striking the group of 11 riders. The outcome of this investigation and the subsequent court case may influence local discussions regarding road safety and cycling regulations on rural highways. For now, the university has turned its focus to supporting the students and their families through prayer and community support, as stated by President Waers. Further updates on the condition of the four students in critical care are expected from Johnson City Medical Center as their treatment progresses.
THP Major Roy Brown stated that the agency is still investigating the crash. The driver's name was not immediately released in the initial reports. Milligan University has not yet announced memorial services for Engdahl or Rogers.