College football player from Bohemia dies of carbon monoxide poisoning

A 21-year-old Bohemia resident and former Connetquot High School football player died Monday night in Newport, Rhode Island, after suffering carbon monoxide poisoning while charging his phone inside his snow-covered vehicle during the city’s historic blizzard, police said.

Joseph Boutros, a sophomore offensive lineman on the football team at Salve Regina University, was found unconscious in a vehicle in a Newport parking lot about 7:20 p.m., the Newport Police Department said in a statement.

Police and fire personnel responded to check on a person inside a car and found Boutros unresponsive while he was charging his cellphone. The vehicle was covered in snow and was not running, police said.

Newport Fire Rescue rushed Boutros to Newport Hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. Authorities said the death was accidental and caused by carbon monoxide poisoning.

“This tragic incident was accidental and a reminder to be vigilant to keep exhaust pipes clear of snow and debris when vehicles are idling,” the police department said in its statement.

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The incident occurred amid what city officials described as the largest single snowfall event on record in Newport. More than 34 inches of snow fell in 24 hours during the blizzard.

According to the Mayo Clinic, carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when carbon monoxide builds up in the blood. When too much carbon monoxide is in the air, it replaces oxygen in red blood cells, which can lead to serious tissue damage or death.

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Boutros, who stood 6-foot-1 and weighed 290 pounds, was majoring in criminal justice and criminology at Salve Regina. Before transferring to the university, he played football as a freshman in 2022 at Nassau Community College. At Connetquot, he was a lineman on offense and defense.

“Our community mourns this tragic loss,” Salve Regina President Kelli J. Armstrong said in a statement. “Our hearts ache with Joseph’s family, teammates, faculty, coaches, friends and all who loved him.”

“We will honor his legacy by carrying forward the same passion, unity, and joy he brought to us every single day. Rest easy, Joseph.”

Friends also publicly mourned Boutros’ death.

“I love you brotha. I miss you every second of the day. You didn’t deserve this,” Alan Rodrigues wrote in an Instagram comment. “Your light shined bright on everyone you surrounded yourself with. Especially Me. My family for a decade. You will live along side me making sure I do right in life.”

_{Top: Joseph Boutros (Instagram/@SalveReginaFootball) and entrance to Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island (Facebook).}