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Rueben Bain Jr., a top-10 prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft, was driving in a previously unreported March 2024 crash in which one of his passengers was hospitalized and pronounced dead three months later, according to a crash report and court records obtained by OutKick.
The standout Miami edge rusher was cited at the scene by the Florida Highway Patrol for operating a motor vehicle in a “careless or negligent manner.” The charge was later dismissed because of a “defective citation,” after Bain Jr. entered a not guilty plea, according to court records.
The crash report indicates that Bain Jr. did not show any impairment, and was not suspected of alcohol or drug use and that no tests were given at the time.
Three NFL teams told OutKick’s Armando Salguero over the weekend that they are aware of the crash, but no team would comment to what extent the incident would affect the first-team All-American defensive end’s status for the April 23-25 NFL Draft.
The news of the first crash was first reported by Oliver Connolly.
OutKick has reached out to Bain Jr., the University of Miami and the Florida State Attorney’s office, but has yet to receive comment from either.
The incident occurred March 17, 2024, when Bain Jr. was driving on South Florida’s Interstate 95 shortly after 4 a.m. and he hit another vehicle from behind. That collision sent Bain Jr.’s vehicle — a 2021 Land Rover registered to a corporation named Miami Sports 27 — into the concrete wall on the east side of the highway, and then careening all the way across the entire multi-lane highway and into the west side concrete wall, according to the crash report.
Miami Sports 27 is a non-profit company owned by Eric Dounn, an agent, who also works with LAA Management, that also has ties to a memorabilia store on Ebay.
To read the full crash report, click the link.
The Florida Highway Patrol was dispatched at 4:17 a.m. and once a trooper arrived at the scene, he found 22-year-old Destiny Betts, who was riding in a passenger seat without a seat belt, incapacitated, per the crash report. Betts was transported to Ryder Trauma Center by the Miami-Dade Fire Department.
According to a GoFundMe setup by a family member, Betts lost consciousness as a result of the crash. A note on the crash report indicated that Betts was pronounced dead three months later, on June 13, 2024, by a Northshore Hospice nurse.
The report does not specify an official cause of death.
OutKick has reached out to the family attorney of Destiny Betts and received the following statement, which indicates they are not open to answering questions around the circumstances of the wreck and what happened in it’s aftermath.
“As her family, we remain deeply committed to honoring her memory in a meaningful and appropriate way. 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. Thank you for respecting our wishes during this difficult matter.”
Miami Hurricanes football players Nyjalik Kelly and Wesley Bissainthe and one other female passenger named LaDreama Roberts were also occupants in the vehicle at the time of the crash. All three were listed as having possible injuries, but only the female passenger was taken to a hospital, according to the FHP report.
OutKick reached out to all three, but has not received a response as of publication.
Both Bissainthe and Kelly, who finished his college career at UCF, are also eligible for the upcoming NFL Draft, although neither is expected to be drafted nearly as high as Bain.
In addition to the crash in March 2024, court records show that Bain Jr. was issued a citation on Oct. 10, 2025, driving a 2025 Tesla Cybertruck, in which he was again cited for careless driving. The citation, shown below, lists a violation of Florida statute 316.1925(1), which is careless driving.
OutKick has inquired about who the owner of the Tesla was, but has not yet received that information.
Records state there was an “accident indicator” that came with the charge, meaning he was involved in a crash, which the citation states. That case was dismissed in February of this year, also because of a “defective citation.”
Bain would go on to finish the season with Miami as one of the best defensive players in college football, helping lead the Hurricanes’ to the CFP title game, where they lost to Indiana.
The NFL Draft is in Pittsburgh next week.
OutKick has reached out to the Florida Highway Patrol for comment on what led to the citations being dismissed. OutKick has also contacted the University of Miami for comment on whether it was aware of either incident. Neither has responded as of publication of this article.
