Rhode Island student dies while charging phone in car during blizzard
Police said Joseph Boutros, 21, was found unconscious in a snow-covered vehicle while charging his phone and later died from carbon monoxide poisoning.
A car is covered in snow Sunday, Jan. 5, 2014, in Zionsville, Ind. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
A 21-year-old Salve Regina University student died from carbon monoxide poisoning in Newport, Rhode Island, after police found him unconscious inside a snow-covered vehicle during the Blizzard of 2026.
Newport Police and Fire Departments responded to a parking lot on Bellevue Avenue at about 7:30 p.m. Feb. 23 to check on a person inside a vehicle, according to a Newport Police Department release.
When they arrived, officers and firefighters found Joseph Boutros unconscious inside the vehicle while he was charging his cell phone, police said. The vehicle was covered in snow and was not running when first responders arrived.
Newport Fire Rescue transported Boutros to Newport Hospital’s emergency room, where he was pronounced dead a short time later due to carbon monoxide poisoning, police said.
Police said the death was accidental and urged people to remain vigilant after heavy snow, including keeping vehicle exhaust pipes clear of snow and debris when vehicles are idling.
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