Cyclists gestured, yelled at driver before he reversed into them, killing boxer Hannah Rapp, court documents allege

BRAZOS COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) — New court documents reveal the moments leading up to the fatal crash that claimed the life of boxer Hannah Rabb, who competed for the WBC women’s featherweight championship in June and died in a car crash last week.

Previous report: Boxer Hannah Rapp, who was hit by a car while riding a bike, has died at the age of 26, the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office said.

Rapp, 26, was riding her bike with her boyfriend in Brazos County when a car passed her but suddenly stopped, reversed and struck her, according to the sheriff’s office. She was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead.

The driver of the car, identified by police as Charles Medina, 31, was arrested and charged with manslaughter.

Court documents obtained by ABC13 allege that when Medina was questioned by a deputy responding to the scene, he said he passed two bicyclists who he thought were alerting him. Medina said he then braked and reversed slowly, but did not see Rapp until the last minute before he struck her, records show.

Medina told deputies he hit Rapp at “15 mph,” according to court records. But investigators noted that evidence from the scene suggested otherwise.

Raab’s friend, who was traveling on another bike alongside her, said that he and Raab passed near Medina at high speed and that he almost collided with them. According to court documents, Rapp’s friend said he raised his arms and yelled at Medina, who then stopped the car and quickly accelerated in reverse, striking and killing Rapp.

Investigators analyzed skid marks and a city vehicle at the scene, and court records show that preliminary investigation findings indicate Rapp was struck at a high speed, causing a severe collision. Investigators concluded, according to court documents, that Medina’s account of reversing at a low speed was inconsistent with the severity of the damage to his vehicle.

“The loss of Hannah Raab makes us sad,” World Boxing Council President Mauricio Sulaiman said in a statement. “She was an exceptional boxer, but above all, she was 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 remarkable career.”

Rapp, a native of Yorktown, Ind., was an athlete at Purdue University and then transitioned to boxing. She moved to College Station, Texas, and turned professional in 2024 while maintaining a full-time job as a fire and life safety inspector for Texas A.&M.