Phoenix-Central Avenue was the scene of heartbreak last Sunday when 26-year-old Hannah Rose Henry, a vibrant young athlete known for her fierce spirit on the race course, died after being struck by a van while riding her bike.
It was just after 11:15 a.m. when someone called police to report a serious crash. Officers and fire crews rushed to the intersection near Central Avenue and Elwood Street. They found Henry unresponsive in the bike lane. First responders worked quickly, but she was pronounced dead right there on the pavement, the life in her eyes already gone.
Witnesses said she was an impressive rider, always steady and confident. Friends and former teammates described her as kind-hearted, full of life, and someone who made everyone around her push a little harder. Just days earlier she had been training and laughing with her community. Now, Phoenix was left to reel from the sudden loss.
Investigators scoured nearby video footage and spotted a white van that looked like it had been involved. The van was later found parked near 3rd Avenue and Buckeye Road. When officers approached, the driver, 46-year-old Eric Dustin Hodge, tried to slip out a back door. But police were faster. He was taken into custody without further incident.
According to what Hodge later told investigators, he had been smoking fentanyl before getting behind the wheel. He admitted to drifting into the bike lane, hitting Henry from behind, and then driving up onto the sidewalk before speeding away. In his statement, he claimed he thought he had struck a fire hydrant and had no idea he’d hit a person.
At a court hearing Monday, Hodge sat quietly in handcuffs. He told the judge he would “trade my life for hers” if he could. He is being held on a $750,000 cash bond and now faces several charges including reckless manslaughter, leaving the scene of a fatal crash, and drug possession.
Friends and fellow athletes have started sharing stories of Henry’s warmth, her dedication to her sport, and the way she lit up a room. The community is planning a bike ride in her honor this weekend. For many, she wasn’t just a champion on paper — she was a friend, a mentor, and a bright, relentless soul taken far too soon.
