In the early hours of Sunday, a wrong‑way driver on Route 146 North in Lincoln, Rhode Island, slammed head‑on into the SUV carrying two Bryant University students, killing all three people in the wreck. The collision happened just after 12:30 a.m. when a pickup truck, driven the wrong way in the northbound high‑speed lanes, barreled into a Chevrolet Tahoe going the right direction.
The two young victims in the Tahoe were identified as 20‑year‑old Jaylin Rainford of Randolph, Massachusetts, and 20‑year‑old Chiemelie Okonkwo of Lawrenceville, Georgia. Both were juniors at Bryant University and beloved members of the campus community.
Police say the wrong‑way driver was 41‑year‑old Denis Aguilar Campos, of Chelsea, Massachusetts. Campos was traveling south in the northbound lanes on the highway when his Ford pickup met Rainford’s SUV head‑on near the Route 116 exit. The force of the impact was so great that both vehicles burst into flames, and emergency crews were unable to save any of the occupants.
First responders pronounced all three men dead at the scene. Route 146 North was shut down for about four hours as state police and highway crews worked to clear wreckage and investigate what happened. Officials continue to look into how and why Campos entered the highway the wrong way.
Friends and classmates remember Rainford as a dedicated student‑athlete who ran track and served as a resident assistant. Okonkwo was active in student life, holding leadership roles in campus organizations and known for his warm presence. Tributes from fellow Bryant students and staff poured in as word of the tragedy spread across campus.
Bryant University President Ross Gittell addressed the community, offering support services for students and staff grappling with the loss. Counseling and ministry resources were made available to help people process the shock and grief.
State police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has additional information to come forward as their investigation continues. Family, friends, and classmates are planning to honor Rainford and Okonkwo in the days ahead as the region mourns this sudden and devastating loss.
