A Driver Passed Two Cyclists Then Reversed Into One of Them, a Rising Pro Boxer

What the Investigation Found

Deputies were dispatched to the 23000 block of FM 159 just before 10 AM. Saturday, July 18, 2026, for a major crash involving a vehicle and a bicyclist. Rapp was riding alongside her boyfriend when the incident occurred.

According to the probable cause affidavit from the Brazos County Sheriff's Office, Charles Eric Medina, 31, had been driving east when he passed two bicyclists at what deputies described as a high rate of speed. One cyclist raised his arms and yelled toward the vehicle. Deputies allege Medina then slammed on his brakes, skidded to a stop, put the vehicle in reverse, and rapidly accelerated backward, striking Rapp and knocking her into the roadway.

The affidavit notes the rear hatch of Medina's car was crushed inward and the rear window was completely shattered. Investigators also documented skid marks from braking and a separate set from reversing; the affidavit says the reverse skid marks appeared to show the driver steering toward something while backing up.

Rapp was found unresponsive, transported to Baylor Scott & White Hospital, and later pronounced dead. Medina was arrested and charged with manslaughter and taken to the Brazos County Detention Center without incident. He is being held on $250,000 bail. Jail records do not list an attorney for him. This is the 13th time Medina has been booked into the Brazos County jail since 2012. The investigation remains active and ongoing as detectives continue to gather evidence and review all available information. Investigators have characterized the crash as an isolated incident, though no motive has been publicly disclosed.

Who Was Hannah Rapp?

Rapp grew up in Yorktown, Indiana, and graduated from Purdue University in 2022. She moved to Texas in 2024 to take a job as a fire and life safety inspector at Texas A&M. She told KBTX she balanced training with her job at Texas A&M, using vacation days and sometimes unpaid time off to prepare for fights.

She quickly ascended through the amateur ranks, becoming a two-time Indiana Golden Gloves Champion, and made her professional debut on April 20, 2024, earning a reputation for devastating punching power and a relentless fighting style. Within her first year as a professional, she captured the North American Boxing Federation Featherweight Championship. Rapp challenged World Boxing Council women's featherweight champion Tiara Brown for the title just last month, in a June 13 bout held in Florida and broadcast on ESPN, which ended in a unanimous-decision loss. She entered this year with an 8-1-1 record.

WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman mourned Rapp's death: "The loss of Hannah Rapp leaves us heartbroken. She was an exceptional boxer, but above all, an invaluable member of our boxing family. We join in the grief of her loved ones, her team, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and supporting her throughout her brilliant career."

Why This Case Is Different From an Ordinary Cycling Crash

Most cycling fatalities on public roads result from accidents: a driver who did not see a cyclist, misjudged a gap, or was distracted. This case is different in a way that has direct legal consequences.

The evidence documented in the probable cause affidavit, including the braking skid marks, the reverse acceleration skid marks, and what investigators describe as apparent steering toward something while backing up, suggests this was not an inadvertent collision. A driver who passes cyclists, stops, and then reverses at speed has made a series of deliberate choices. That sequence transforms the legal analysis entirely.

Medina is currently charged with manslaughter, which in Texas requires a showing of reckless conduct, meaning the person was aware of and consciously disregarded a substantial and unjustifiable risk. Given the documented skid pattern and the witness account of him slamming the brakes before reversing, the evidence for recklessness is substantial. Depending on what further investigation reveals about intent, prosecutors could also consider whether an upgraded charge is warranted. Texas law distinguishes between manslaughter and murder based on the presence of intent, and the physical evidence here will be central to how that determination is made.

What Rapp's Family May Pursue Civilly

Separate from the criminal case, Rapp's family has a strong foundation for a wrongful death civil claim. Texas's wrongful death statute allows parents, spouses, and children of a deceased person to pursue compensation for their loss, including loss of future earnings, companionship, and the pain and suffering endured before death. The physical evidence documented by investigators, Medina's criminal history, and the eyewitness account of the other cyclist will all be relevant in any civil proceeding.

Medina's prior booking history is also potentially meaningful in a civil context. A pattern of prior conduct can support an argument for punitive damages, which are available in Texas civil cases when the defendant acted with malice or gross negligence.

Our deepest condolences go out to Hannah Rapp's family, her boyfriend who witnessed her death, her team at Bryan Boxing, and the boxing community that rallied around her.

If you have lost a family member in a crash involving a vehicle and a cyclist, or believe a driver acted with deliberate or reckless disregard for another person's life, the independent attorneys we connect you with can help you understand every avenue available for accountability and recovery.

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