Rueben Bain linked to 2024 Miami crash that left passenger fatally injured
Bain was cited for careless driving after collision that left 22-year-old student with incapacitating injuries; she died three months later
Rueben Bain, a projected top-10 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, was involved in a fatal traffic collision in Miami in March 2024, according to records and reports reviewed by The Read Optional. The incident has not been previously reported.
Bain, then a sophomore at the University of Miami, was driving on Interstate 95 in Miami at 4 am on 17 March 2024 when his vehicle struck another car before careering into concrete barriers on both sides of the highway, according to police crash records reviewed by The Read Optional.
One of four passengers in Bain's car, Destiny Betts, a 22-year-old college student from Georgia who was visiting Miami for spring break, suffered incapacitating injuries and was rushed to the Ryder Trauma Center from the scene. She never regained consciousness. Betts died on 13 June 2024, after spending almost three months in a coma.
A second passenger was hospitalized with injuries. Two other University of Miami players were in the car at the time of the crash — linebacker Wesley Bissainthe and Nyjalik Kelly (who later transferred to UCF), both teammates of Bain at Miami and both eligible for the 2026 NFL Draft.
The police crash report states that Bain "operated his vehicle in a careless or negligent manner." Following the collision with the second vehicle, Bain's car — owned by a company named Miami Sports 27 Inc — struck the east concrete wall before being redirected into the west concrete wall, where it came to rest. It was later towed after sustaining disabling damage.
No field sobriety test was administered at the scene. Bain was cited for careless driving. That charge was dismissed approximately two weeks before Betts died, while she remained in a coma.
“Destiny is a smart, caring young woman working towards her college degree,” Betts’ family wrote on a GoFundMe page in March 2024. “Aside from the emotional toll that this has taken, the financial strain on her dad has been overwhelming. He has had to take time off work to be by Destiny’s side, missing out on crucial income during this already expensive time in Miami.”
Multiple league sources confirmed they are aware of the incident and are continuing to investigate. It remains unclear if it will affect Bain's draft position.
“It feels like it could be [Laremy Tunsil] all over again,” a league source told The Read Optional. “It doesn’t feel like [Bain] has been transparent with us.”
“We are concerned about multiple incidents,” another team executive said. “We are waiting for the other shoe.”
In conversations, several team sources drew comparisons to the draft-night slide of Laremy Tunsil, concerned that further revelations about Bain could be revealed close to, or on, draft night. Tunsil entered the 2016 draft as the projected No. 1 pick. Shortly before the draft, his social media accounts were hacked and posted videos of Tunsil smoking through a gas mask bong and lobbying his college coaches for payments. As teams attempted to gather information in real-time, he fell to the No. 13 pick.
“We are still looking,” a source told The Read Optional, citing recent incidents involving Henry Ruggs, James Pearce, Jalen Carter, and Rashee Rice as giving the team pause. “We need more details.”
According to Trey Wallace, Bain was again cited for careless driving in 2025. That case was also dismissed because of a “defective citation.”
Bain currently sits seventh on the Consensus Big Board. He did not respond to a request for comment.
“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.
“Destiny’s passing was the result of a tragic accident that occurred several years ago. 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. We also wish Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career.”
The careless driving charge against Bain was dismissed by a court approximately two weeks before Betts' death, while she remained in a coma. No finding of criminal liability has been made in connection with the crash or her death.
A truly tragic story. I know I did things when I was young that could have ended badly for me or someone else. I think of that when I read stories like this. A person can't change the past but we all need to learn from those things. The second careless driving citation is troubling in that regard.
I appreciate the factual, respectful reporting.
Great reporting. Does this seem more like Jalen Carter where teams had knowledge of this log before?