Rising boxer Hannah Rapp killed in Texas after driver strikes her bicycle

An up-and-coming boxer was killed Saturday after a driver struck her with his car while she was riding her bike in Brazos County, Texas.Deputies with the Brazos County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a major crash involving a vehicle and a bicyclist on the 23000 block of FM (Farm to Market Road) 159 at around 10 a.m.The bicyclist, 26-year-old Hannah Rapp, was found lying in the roadway after being struck by a vehicle, according to initial reports cited by the sheriff’s office. Rapp was taken to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead.The driver, 31-year-old Charles Medina, had passed two bicyclists traveling along FM 159, investigators said.“After passing the bicyclists, Mr. Medina stopped his vehicle, reversed, and struck one of the cyclists,” the sheriff’s office said, adding that “at this time, investigators believe this was an isolated incident.”Medina was arrested and charged with manslaughter, according to online records. He is being held at the Brazos County Detention Center.“The investigation remains active and ongoing as detectives continue to gather evidence and review all available information,” the sheriff’s office said.Rapp was building a name for herself in the boxing world, challenging World Boxing Council women’s featherweight champion Tiara Brown for the title just last month. The June 13 bout, held in Florida and broadcast on ESPN, ended in a unanimous-decision loss for Rapp.In a statement, the WBC remembered Rapp as “a relentless warrior inside the ring” and “a beacon of light whose dedication and charisma left an indelible mark” on both the North American Boxing Federation and the WBC itself.“The loss of Hannah Rapp leaves us heartbroken,” WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán said in a statement. “She was an exceptional boxer, but above all, an invaluable member of our boxing family. We join in the grief that overwhelms her loved ones, her team, and all those who had the privilege of knowing and supporting her throughout her brilliant career.”Supporters flooded Rapp’s Instagram with condolences following news of her death.“Rest in peace,” one commenter wrote under her most recent post. “You had so much ahead of you and were such an inspiration.”