Former Miami defensive end and 2026 NFL draft prospect Rueben Bain Jr. was involved in an auto accident in 2024 in which a passenger later died because of injuries sustained in the crash, according to a report published Sunday.
Bain was cited for careless driving for the accident that occurred at about 4 a.m. local time on March 17, 2024, on Interstate 95 northbound in Miami, according to documents obtained by The Read Optional.
The crash report alleges Bain was driving a 2021 Land Rover SUV that had three other passengers -- fellow Hurricanes football players Wesley Bissainthe and Nyjalik Kelly, along with a 22-year-old Georgia woman, Destiny Betts. Bain's vehicle rear-ended another car, veered into a concrete barrier, then ricocheted into another barrier before coming to a rest on the shoulder of the highway.
Betts was taken to Ryder Trauma Center in Miami, according to The Read Optional. The outlet reported that Betts was in a coma for nearly three months before she died from her injuries on June 13, 2024.
Bain was cited at the time of the incident, but charges were dropped prior to Betts' death, according to The Read Optional. No field sobriety tests were given, according to the crash report.
In a statement given to The Read Optional, Betts' family called the crash a "tragic accident" and said they "wish Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career."
Bain was entering his sophomore season at the time of the accident.
He is ranked No. 15 on Mel Kiper Jr.'s latest Big Board for this month's NFL draft. As a junior in 2025, Bain had a career season in helping push Miami to the College Football Playoff championship game, posting 9.5 sacks, 15.5 tackles for loss and five QB hurries and leading the country in QB pressures.
