Former NCAA Champ Hannah Henry Killed By Driver While Riding in Phoenix

Hannah Henry, who won the 2017 and 2018 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships while helping the Arizona State Sun Devils take the team titles, was killed by a driver last Sunday while riding her bicycle in Phoenix.

According to news reports, the 26-year-old Canadian was riding in a designated bike lane when 46-year-old Eric Hodge ran her over in a van, drove onto the sidewalk, and then fled the scene. Emergency responders were dispatched to the scene of the collision, where Phoenix Fire Department pronounced Henry dead at the scene.

Video from the scene enabled police to identify the make and model of the van, and found it parked at a home. Police officers knocked on the door of the home, and the van’s registered owner answered the door, stating that his friend was driving the vehicle at the time. According to police reports, the registered owner asked Hodge to come outside to speak with police, but Hodge attempted to escape through the rear of the home. Officers quickly caught Hodge.

According to court documents, Hodge admitted to smoking fentanyl before he got in the van that morning. He told police that “when he smokes fentanyl, he passes out randomly and wakes up in different places.” Hodge also apparently recalled seeing “a girl on a 10-speed bicycle” shortly before the collision that took Henry’s life, but thought that he had hit a fire hydrant and not a person. He allegedly then proceeded to buy $100 of fentanyl before parking the van.

Hodge was charged with reckless manslaughter, leaving the scene of a deadly crash, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of narcotic drugs.

During Hodge’s first court appearance on Monday, he expressed a range of emotions; first, laughing at state prosecutor Stephen Garcia’s request for bond to be set at $750,000. But when Garcia laid out the details for the charges in question, Hodge attempted to explain his actions with remorse, stating that, “I’m so heartbroken. I would trade my life for hers in a second if I could.”

“I didn’t know that I hit anybody. I fell asleep and when I woke up, I was off the road a little bit and I had no idea that I had hit anybody. I really didn’t,” Hodge said. “I’m not a violent person. I don’t want to hurt anybody. I try to work every day, and I try to help people in any way I can.”

State prosecutor Stephen Garcia said at the hearing: “She was leading a fulfilling life that got taken from her on the particular Sunday afternoon. He continued to drive on and reportedly purchased $100 worth of fentanyl.”

Hannah was one of three sisters who competed at an elite level in triathlon – her younger sister Heidi is now competing for the University of San Francisco. Holly, the oldest of the three sisters, also competed at an elite level internationally, but turned her sights to cycling in 2018 and is now a cycling coach.

In addition to her collegiate success with ASU (which included academic honours in addition to her athletic success), Hannah Henry represented Canada at the Pan Am Games in Lima, Peru in 2019, finishing second in the mixed relay.

Our thoughts go out to the Henry family, their friends and the various triathlon communities that Hannah Henry touched.

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