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Rhode Island Student Dies From Carbon Monoxide in Snow-Covered Car During Record Snowstorm

Authorities deemed the case accidental, prompting renewed warnings to clear tailpipes, check carbon monoxide detectors, and use generators outdoors after deep snow.

Newport Police say the accidental carbon monoxide poisoning death of a Salve Regina student is a tragic reminder to keep vehicle exhaust pipes clear of snow.
A electrical line crew from Connecticut and a tree clearing crew from Rhode Island work to restore power after a winter storm dumped more than two feet of snow across the region, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, in Plymouth, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
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Overview

  • Newport police say they found 21-year-old Joseph Boutros unconscious in a vehicle in a Bellevue Avenue parking lot around 7:20 p.m., and he was pronounced dead at Newport Hospital.
  • Investigators report he had been charging his phone and the car’s exhaust was embedded in snow, causing carbon monoxide to accumulate; officials classify the death as accidental.
  • Accounts differ on whether the vehicle was running when first responders arrived, but the confirmed cause is carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • Boutros was a Salve Regina University student-athlete from Bohemia, New York, and the university and football program publicly mourned his death.
  • The nor’easter produced record snowfall in Rhode Island, with roughly 34 inches reported in Newport and 37.9 inches at T.F. Green Airport, prompting guidance to clear vents and place generators 20–25 feet from homes.