Driver Charged After Collision with Milligan University Cycling Team Leaves Two Dead, Seven Injured in Tennessee

Two Milligan University sophomore cyclists were pronounced dead at the scene after a vehicle struck their training group on Highway 19 in Hampton, Tennessee, early Wednesday. Seven other riders were injured, four of them in critical condition, and were taken to Johnson City Medical Center, with several air-medical teams assisting in transport. The driver, 69-year-old John Benfield of Newland, North Carolina, has been charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and five counts of aggravated assault and remains in custody pending further investigation.

Milligan University released a statement expressing shock and sadness over the incident and asked for prayers for the community. The Tennessee Highway Patrol, leading the investigation, said it will conduct a thorough and fair inquiry. Major Roy Brown emphasized the agency’s responsibility to provide factual findings.

District Attorney Steven Finney noted the team’s competitive level, describing it as an elite cycling squad that rode in a peloton. USA Cycling also issued a statement acknowledging the tragedy.