NFL Draft Prospect Rueben Bain Jr. Cited for Alleged Careless Driving as New Report from Fatal 2024 Crash Emerges

Miami, FL — Top 2026 NFL Draft hopeful Rueben Bain Jr. has been cited for careless driving stemming from a 2024 Interstate 95 crash that left a 22-year-old passenger dead, according to a newly released crash report obtained by The Read Optional.

The 21-year-old defensive end was behind the wheel of a vehicle that collided on the northbound lanes of I-95 in Miami early last year. Passengers in the car included Miami college football teammates Wesley Bissainthe and Nyjalik Kelly, along with Georgia native Destiny Betts. The report states that Betts was transported to Ryder Trauma Center in critical condition, spent three months in a coma, and succumbed to her injuries on June 13, 2024.

Law-enforcement officials initially cited Bain for careless driving; however, The Read Optional notes that those charges were dropped prior to Betts’ death. Despite the legal development, the incident has resurfaced in public view just weeks before the 2026 NFL Draft, scheduled to kick off in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, April 23.

In a brief statement to The Read Optional, the Betts family expressed that they “wish Mr. Bain the best as he continues his life and career,” signaling a measure of closure from their perspective.

On the field, Bain’s stock has soared. The 6-foot-2 edge rusher started nine games as a sophomore for the Hurricanes before erupting for 16 starts during the 2025 campaign that saw Miami advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship. Although the Hurricanes fell to Indiana 27-21, Bain’s individual performance turned heads: he logged a career-high 54 tackles and 9.5 sacks, cementing his reputation as one of the premier pass-rushers in a loaded defensive end class.

Scouts praise his first-step explosiveness and relentless motor, traits that could make him a first-round selection in late April. How the resurfaced allegations affect his draft standing remains to be seen, but teams are certain to scrutinize the details of the 2024 crash during the upcoming evaluation period.

As the countdown to Pittsburgh continues, Bain’s on-field résumé is undeniable; yet the circumstances surrounding that fateful night on I-95 will likely prompt candid conversations in meeting rooms across the league.