Charles Medina, 31, has been arrested on charges including manslaughter after reversing his car into 26-year-old American boxer Hannah Rapp in Texas on Saturday.
The Brazos County Sheriff's Office said Rapp was cycling along highway FM 159 when Medina passed two bicyclists, stopped his vehicle, and reversed into her. She received treatment at the scene before being taken to a hospital, where she later passed away from her injuries.
According to NBC reporting on a probable cause statement, Medina told officers he believed the cyclists were "trying to flag him down" so he "stepped on his brakes which caused them to lock up before coming to a stop." Medina also claimed that, while reversing at 15mph, he did not see Rapp "until the last moment before he hit her."
In a statement on the tragedy, the Sheriff's Office said: "Investigators learned that the driver of the vehicle... had passed two bicyclists traveling along FM 159. After passing the bicyclists, Mr. Medina stopped his vehicle, reversed, and struck one of the cyclists." The statement added that "despite lifesaving efforts, she later passed away at the hospital" and noted that investigators currently believe the collision was an isolated incident.
Previous Arrest Record
Jail records first revealed by ESPN show that Medina, full name Charles Eric Medina, has a long history of run-ins with police dating back to his teens. He was first arrested in Brazos County in 2012 for reckless driving and evading arrest, pleading guilty in both cases.
Since then, the 31-year-old has been detained a dozen times, including in 2014 for reckless driving and in 2020 when he was accused of hit and run, though it is not immediately clear how those cases ended. Medina was arrested again in 2024 for deadly conduct in the discharge of a firearm after authorities responded to reports of a man "chasing vehicles with an axe and a knife." Officers found him in his yard with a handgun, where Medina fired several shots into the air before being taken into custody following what the sheriff described as a "short standoff." That case reportedly remains open.
Boxing Career and Tributes
Rapp, who was from Indiana, turned professional in 2024 and had competed in athletics before turning her attention to boxing. During training, she maintained a full-time job as a fire and life safety inspector. She compiled a professional record of eight wins, one draw, and one loss, and challenged for the WBC women's featherweight title on June 13, losing to Tiara Brown in Orlando.
Following her death, her promoter, Jake Paul, tweeted: "Gone too soon. Condolences to her entire clan. RIP warrior, Hannah Rapp." WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said in a statement: "She was an exceptional boxer, but above all, an invaluable member of our boxing family."
Brown, her former rival, labeled Rapp the "best dance partner I have ever faced as a pro" and revealed that Rapp had asked for her autograph before their bout. Brown said: "It filled my heart because we were getting ready for war, yet she was still asking for my autograph. We fought a great fight. It was my honor to share the ring with her."
A GoFundMe page has been launched to help her family cover funeral expenses for the "beloved daughter to Angie and James, sister to Tanner and Maggie, a friend to everyone she met, and an inspiring boxing athlete." A tribute on the page stated that "Hannah was resilient. She was brave and insightful, always pushing others to do their best," adding that "moving from Indiana to Texas meant distance for her friends and family." It called her an inspiration who "continued to bring love, laughter, and light into the lives of others," with the page already receiving more than 230 donations totaling more than $22,000.
