This information is preliminary and subject to change.
Release Date: 15 Sept. 2026
On Wednesday, August 19, 2026, about 9:00 a.m. eastern daylight time, a group of 10 cyclists was traveling south in the right lane of U.S. Route 19E (US-19E) near Hampton, in Carter County, Tennessee (see figure 1). The cyclists, all members of the Milligan University cycling team, were riding two abreast and were engaged in a training ride.
At the same time, a 2003 Subaru Baja compact pickup truck (pickup truck; see figure 2), occupied only by the driver, was also traveling south in the right lane of US-19E. Shortly after the cyclists passed the intersection of US-19E and Simmerly Creek Road (TN-173), the pickup truck overtook the group from the rear, struck the cyclists, continued through the group, and came to a stop straddling the white edge line of US-19E.
Figure 2 Damage to the front of the pickup truck.
As a result of the crash, two cyclists sustained fatal injuries, five cyclists sustained serious injuries, two cyclists sustained minor injuries, and one cyclist was uninjured. The pickup truck driver sustained minor injuries.
In this area, US-19E had a posted speed limit of 55 mph and was designated by the Tennessee Department of Transportation as a bicycle route. The weather was clear, it was daytime, and the roadway was dry.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol is a party to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation.
All aspects of the crash remain under investigation while the NTSB determines the probable cause, with the intent of issuing safety recommendations to prevent similar events.
