Unsettling past of driver accused of mowing down Milligan University cyclists revealed

The North Carolina senior accused of fatally striking two college cyclists with his car and injuring five others made no effort to avoid the deadly collision — and has an extensive criminal history, including a DUI, shocking arrest documents reveal.

John Benfield, 69, was arrested Wednesday after running his 2003 Subaru Baja Sport into a group of 11 Milligan University cyclists out for a training ride around 9 a.m. on Highway 19E in Hampton, Tenn., just 11 miles from the school.

A criminal complaint lodged against Benfield said he made no effort whatsoever to avoid the collision, and that officers at the scene noticed the smell of marijuana emanating from his vehicle.

“The investigation revealed no physical evidence indicating that the suspect applied the brakes or took evasive action to avoid the collision. The suspect continued forward and subsequently striking [sic] a group of bicyclists,” the affidavit states.

Authorities would not confirm whether he was driving under the influence at the time of the crash that killed Milligan sophomores Haylan Engdahl and Brayden Rogers, but court records viewed by The Post show he had an extensive history of criminal traffic violations.

He racked up three such violations in 1989 while living in Florida, and pleaded guilty to driving under the influence in the state in July 1990, only to be caught operating a vehicle with a suspended license just two months later.

He also had at least seven criminal offenses in North Carolina, but the full details about the cases were not immediately available.

The affidavit explained in detail the moments leading up to the horrifying crash.

“The suspect was traveling in lane two (outside lane) behind another vehicle. The vehicle traveling in front of the suspect changed from lane two (outside lane) into lane one (inside lane),” the criminal complaint reads.

“When the vehicle ahead changed lanes, the suspect failed to observe the group of bicyclists traveling ahead of him in lane two.”

It noted that Benfield “was traveling at a distance and/or in a manner that did not allow him sufficient time or distance to perceive and react to the roadway conditions.”

Benfield, a resident of Newland, NC, was charged with two counts of vehicular homicide by recklessness and five counts of aggravated assault by vehicle by recklessness.

His bail was set at $150,000 at the Carter County Jail.

It was not immediately clear whether he had secured legal representation.