One of the top prospects in this month’s NFL Draft was cited for careless driving in a 2024 car crash that ultimately left one of his passengers dead.
As revealed by The Read Optional, Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. was driving a Land Rover SUV with three passengers: Hurricanes teammates Wesley Bissainthe and Nyjalik Kelly, as well as 22-year-old Georgia woman, Destiny Betts.
According to an official report reviewed by The Daily Mail, the crash occurred on I-95 in Miami when Bain’s vehicle rear-ended another car around 4am. The impact caused Bain’s vehicle to ricochet from one concrete barrier into another before coming to a rest on the shoulder of the highway.
Betts was taken to a nearby trauma center where she fell into a coma before dying from her injuries three months later, according to a GoFundMe page from 2024.
That page was taken down following the release of The Read Optional report. Betts’ family has since requested privacy, while wishing Bain ‘the best as he continues his life and career.’
‘As her family, we remain deeply committed to honoring her memory in a meaningful and appropriate way,’ Betts’ family said in a statement to The Read Optional.
Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. (pictured) was involved in a fatal car crash in 2024
‘Destiny’s passing was the result of a tragic accident that occurred several years ago,’ the statement began. ‘While the loss remains incredibly painful for our family, we have worked hard to find peace and move forward. At this time, we are not seeking public attention surrounding this tragedy and respectfully request that our family’s privacy be honored.’
Bain was cited following the accident, but charges were dropped prior to Betts’ death in June of 2024. He was never given a field sobriety test, according to the crash report.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Bain’s listed business contact.
Bain, who was coming off his freshman season at the time of the 2024 accident, was also cited for careless driving in October of 2025, according to Outkick.com. That citation was also reportedly dismissed.
League sources were aware of the 2024 crash, according to The Read Optional, but they did express concern to the website.
The 6ft3, 275-pound edge rusher had an impressive 2025 season, recording 9.5 sacks and an interception as the Hurricanes beat defending-champion Ohio State en route to the title game
‘It feels like it could be [Laremy Tunsil] all over again,’ one league source told The Read Optional, referring to an offensive lineman who dropped in the 2016 NFL Draft when a picture surfaced of him online smoking from a bong. ‘It doesn’t feel like [Bain] has been transparent with us.’
‘We are concerned about multiple incidents,’ another team executive told The Read Optional. ‘We are waiting for the other shoe.’
Like Tunsil, Bain is a projected first-round pick, but it’s anyone’s guess if the latest report will impact the perception of the Hurricanes star among NFL teams.
The 6ft3, 275-pound edge rusher had an impressive 2025 season, recording 9.5 sacks and an interception as the Hurricanes reached the national championship.
