Two riders, a responding deputy and a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper took the stand as the case focused on whether the accused driver was impaired
By Gary Robinson, Avid Cyclist | September 18, 2026
ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. — Two members of the Milligan University cycling team testified Friday at a preliminary hearing for John Alexander Benfield, the driver charged in connection with the August crash that killed teammates Haylan Engdahl and Brayden Rogers and injured seven other riders.
According to WCYB’s report from the hearing, the court also heard from a responding deputy and a Tennessee Highway Patrol trooper. The central question in the testimony appeared to be whether Benfield was intoxicated when his pickup struck the team during an August 19 training ride in Carter County.
A Teammate Describes the Impact
Milligan cyclist Mac Shindell testified that the team began the morning with 12 riders and followed a familiar training route. Two riders turned off roughly a mile before the collision, leaving 10 cyclists on U.S. Route 19E, according to WJHL’s courtroom report.
Shindell said he heard a vehicle crashing into riders behind him before it struck his left leg and threw him into the air. He described seeing his injured teammates after he landed and trying to reach Rogers, who was lying in the roadway. Shindell told the court that he is still recovering from a broken ankle.
“I hope he knew we were with him.” — Mac Shindell, as quoted by WJHL
Despite the physical and emotional toll, Shindell said he intends to ride again and will not allow the crash to end his relationship with cycling.
What Federal Investigators Have Reported
A preliminary report released September 15 by the National Transportation Safety Board says the 10 cyclists were riding two abreast in the right southbound lane of U.S. 19E near Hampton when a 2003 Subaru Baja overtook them from behind, struck the riders and continued through the group before stopping across the white edge line.
The NTSB reported that two cyclists suffered fatal injuries, five were seriously injured, two sustained minor injuries and one was not physically injured. The agency also noted that the road was dry, the weather was clear and the crash occurred in daylight on a section of highway designated by the Tennessee Department of Transportation as a bicycle route. The posted speed limit was 55 mph.
Those findings are preliminary. The NTSB says all aspects of the crash remain under investigation while it determines probable cause and considers safety recommendations. A preliminary report documents early facts; it is not a final determination of cause or criminal responsibility.
Charges, Bond and the Next Court Date
Benfield was initially charged with two counts of reckless vehicular homicide and multiple aggravated-assault counts. After a Tennessee Bureau of Investigation toxicology report indicated THC in his system, prosecutors amended the homicide charges to vehicular homicide involving intoxication and added charges associated with the other riders, according to local court reporting by the Elizabethton Star. All charges remain allegations unless and until proven in court.
Benfield was released after posting bond but was arrested in North Carolina four days later after authorities said he violated release conditions by failing a drug screen. His bond was later revoked, and WCYB reported Friday that he remains jailed without bond.
The case is scheduled to return to court on November 23, according to WCYB. Friday’s proceeding did not decide guilt or innocence; a preliminary hearing is used to determine whether the case may proceed.
Why This Case Matters Beyond One Courtroom
For the cycling community, this case is not only about what happened on one Tennessee highway. It raises familiar questions about driver attention, impairment, accountability and the protection afforded to people riding on an officially designated bicycle route.
It is also a reminder that riders can follow an established route, travel as a visible group and still face catastrophic danger from behind. Any broader safety lessons must await the NTSB’s final work, but the facts already documented make the stakes unmistakable.
Engdahl and Rogers were both 19-year-old sophomores. As the legal and federal investigations continue, Avid Cyclist will remember them as young riders, students and teammates—not simply as names in a case file—and will continue following developments that matter to their families, the Milligan community and cyclists everywhere.
| Related coverage: Read Avid Cyclist’s earlier report on Benfield’s arrest and bond history. |
