{"id":1760,"date":"2026-08-24T07:19:13","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T11:19:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inhishands\/?p=1760"},"modified":"2026-08-24T07:19:13","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T11:19:13","slug":"2-christian-university-students-killed-in-cycling-crash-lord-jesus-we-need-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/inhishands\/2026\/08\/2-christian-university-students-killed-in-cycling-crash-lord-jesus-we-need-you\/","title":{"rendered":"2 Christian University Students Killed in Cycling Crash: ‘Lord Jesus, We Need You’"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Milligan University<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Christian university in Tennessee is grieving the deaths of two student-athletes after a vehicle struck members of its cycling team during a morning training ride, killing two and seriously injuring several others.<\/p>\n

Milligan University identified the students killed as sophomores Haylan Engdahl and Brayden Rogers. Seven other cyclists were taken to Johnson City Medical Center, with at least four initially listed in critical condition. Two have since been released from the hospital.<\/p>\n

“There are no words to adequately describe this level of loss,” the Christian university said in a statement<\/a>. “Our prayers are with all those impacted by this tragedy. Please keep the Milligan community in your prayers.”<\/p>\n

Eleven members of the cycling team were riding in Hampton, Tennessee, when they were struck around 8 a.m. Wednesday.<\/p>\n

In an emotional message to the university community, Milligan President Stephen Waers urged students, faculty and families to lean on their Christian faith as they mourn.<\/p>\n

“It is more important than ever right now that we are a community gathered around Jesus,” Waers said. “We need Jesus deeply.”<\/p>\n

Waers then invited the community to pray for the families of Engdahl and Rogers and for the injured cyclists still receiving treatment.<\/p>\n

“Lord Jesus, we need you; have mercy,” he prayed.<\/p>\n

Authorities arrested 69-year-old John Alexander Benfield of North Carolina and charged him with two counts of vehicular homicide by recklessness and five counts of aggravated assault by vehicle by recklessness. District Attorney Steve Finney said additional charges could be filed.<\/p>\n

Newly released court documents provide more details about the moments leading up to the deadly crash. According to an affidavit cited by WCYB<\/a>, officers at the scene reported smelling marijuana coming from Benfield’s vehicle. However, the document does not say marijuana was found inside the car, provide results from drug or alcohol testing, or state that Benfield was impaired.<\/p>\n

Investigators said Benfield was traveling behind another vehicle when it moved into the inside lane. Benfield allegedly failed to see the cyclists ahead, and authorities found no evidence that he braked or attempted to steer around them.<\/p>\n

Finney emphasized that the Milligan cyclists were experienced athletes riding together in a peloton.<\/p>\n

Benfield was booked into the Carter County Detention Center, with bail reportedly set at $150,000.<\/p>\n

Tennessee Highway Patrol Maj. Roy Brown said investigators are working to determine exactly what happened and acknowledged the university and families are seeking answers.<\/p>\n

“We want to provide those answers,” Brown said, adding that authorities must first conduct a fair and thorough investigation based on the facts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A Christian university in Tennessee is grieving the deaths of two student-athletes after a vehicle struck members of its cycling team during a morning training ride, killing two and seriously injuring several others. Milligan University identified the students killed as sophomores Haylan Engdahl and Brayden Rogers. Seven other cyclists were taken to Johnson City Medical…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":516,"featured_media":1763,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fbia_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1760","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n2 Christian University Students Killed in Cycling Crash: 'Lord Jesus, We Need You'<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Two Milligan University students were killed, and seven were injured after a vehicle struck the Christian school's cycling team in Tennessee.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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