- Professional boxer Hannah Rapp, 26, was killed when a driver reversed into her while she was cycling in Brazos County, Texas.
- Driver Charles Eric Medina has been charged with manslaughter and held on a $250,000 bond after the fatal incident.
- Friends and supporters have initiated a petition for 'Hannah's Law' to reform bond decisions for defendants with a history of dangerous conduct.
BRAZOS COUNTY, TEXAS — Just over a month after a Houston father was shot and killed during a confrontation over his stolen truck, another violent case involving a vehicle has left a Texas family grieving. Professional boxer Hannah Rapp, 26, died after a driver allegedly reversed into her while she was cycling along FM 159.
Hannah Noelle Rapp, was cycling with her boyfriend, Will Pollalis, along FM 159 on the morning of Saturday, July 18, when investigators say Charles Eric Medina passed them at a high rate of speed.
Pollalis told investigators that the vehicle came within approximately one foot of the cyclists. He raised his arms and yelled toward the driver after the close pass, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by local media.
Driver Allegedly Stopped and Accelerated in Reverse
Brazos County sheriff’s deputies were called to the 23000 block of FM 159 at approximately 9:50 a.m. following reports that a vehicle had struck a bicyclist.
According to the affidavit, Medina slammed on his brakes after passing the pair, skidded to a stop and shifted his vehicle into reverse. Investigators allege that he then accelerated backward and struck Rapp.
Pollalis told deputies that he watched the vehicle reverse toward them before hitting Rapp. The force of the collision reportedly caused her head to strike the rear window and knocked her from her bicycle onto the roadway.
First responders found Rapp unresponsive and lying face down in the road. She was given emergency medical care before being transported to Baylor Scott & White Hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.
Physical Evidence Allegedly Contradicted Driver’s Account
Medina reportedly told deputies that he believed the cyclists were trying to flag him down after he heard yelling and saw them raise their hands.
He said he stopped and began reversing but did not see Rapp until immediately before the collision. When asked how fast he had been traveling in reverse, Medina reportedly estimated his speed at 15 mph.
Investigators said several pieces of physical evidence did not support an accidental, low-speed collision.
The vehicle’s rear hatch was crushed inward, and its rear window was completely shattered. Deputies also documented one set of skid marks created when the vehicle stopped and another set left while it was reversing.
According to the affidavit, the reverse skid marks appeared to show that the vehicle was being steered toward something. Investigators wrote that the skid marks, extensive vehicle damage and the location where Rapp landed indicated a heavy impact that contradicted Medina’s description of the collision.
Authorities have not publicly announced a motive or formally classified the incident as road rage.
Driver Charged With Manslaughter
Medina, 31, of Navasota, was arrested without incident and booked into the Brazos County Detention Center on a manslaughter charge.
His bond was set at $250,000. The sheriff’s office described the incident as isolated but said detectives were continuing to gather evidence and review the circumstances surrounding Rapp’s death.
Public jail records reviewed by KBTX showed that Medina had been booked into the Brazos County jail 13 times since 2012. The previous allegations listed in those records included reckless driving, evading arrest, assault, escape from custody, hit-and-run, deadly conduct and possession of a controlled substance.
Those records reflect arrests and charges and should not automatically be treated as convictions. At the time of the fatal collision, Medina also had a pending felony charge of deadly conduct involving the discharge of a firearm.
Medina is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Supporters Push for “Hannah’s Law”
In the days following Rapp’s death, her friends, teammates and supporters began calling for changes to how courts make bond decisions involving defendants with repeated allegations of dangerous conduct.
A petition calling the proposal “Hannah’s Law” seeks to expand judges’ authority to deny or revoke bond when a defendant has a documented pattern of dangerous behavior. It also asks courts to consider a person’s broader criminal history when making release decisions.
The petition received more than 2,000 signatures within hours on Monday, according to KBTX. The proposal remained a public campaign and had not been enacted as law.
A Rising Contender Inside the Ring
Rapp grew up in Yorktown, Indiana, and competed in track and field at Purdue University before moving to the Bryan–College Station area in 2024. She worked in fire and life safety inspection at Texas A&M University while pursuing her professional boxing career.
Known in the ring as “Hanarchy,” Rapp entered her June 13 world-title fight with an undefeated professional record of eight victories and one draw.
She challenged Tiara Brown for the WBC women’s featherweight championship at the Caribe Royale in Orlando, Florida. Brown retained the title by unanimous decision, giving Rapp the first defeat of her professional career and leaving her with a record of 8-1-1.
Her coach at Bryan Boxing, Carl Perry, said Rapp brought energy and positivity into the gym and believed she had the talent to become a world champion.
A memorial of flowers, handwritten messages and boxing gloves has grown outside Bryan Boxing in downtown Bryan. Teammates described Rapp as someone who constantly encouraged others and made the people around her better.
The World Boxing Council also mourned her death, remembering her as an exceptional fighter and a valued member of the international boxing community.
The investigation remains active.
For more cases in which confrontations on the road turned deadly, watch our video here:
