A former Long Island lacrosse standout and a medical supply company executive were killed after a head-on crash in the Hudson Valley, where authorities say the younger driver’s vehicle drifted into oncoming traffic.
Peter B. Bonenfant, 19, and Philip F. Jacobus, 72, died several hours after the early Sunday collision on Route 28 in the Town of Olive, an Ulster County community outside Kingston, according to New York State Police.
Investigators said Bonenfant was headed west in a 2024 Chevrolet shortly before 6:50 a.m. when his car crossed into the eastbound lane and collided with a 2021 Mercedes-Benz driven by Jacobus.
Emergency crews worked to free both men from the wreckage before they were taken to HealthAlliance Hospital in Kingston, where Bonenfant later died from his injuries.
Jacobus was subsequently transferred to MidHudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie, southeast of Kingston across the Hudson River, where he also died, police said.
State police said the crash remains under investigation, and officials have not yet disclosed what may have caused Bonenfant to enter the opposite lane.
Jacobus, who lived in Kingston, founded and served as president of Owen Kane Holdings, a Wall Street-based supplier of medical equipment.
He also founded and led DOTmed as CEO, a company described as the “world’s leading public medical equipment marketplace.”
Jacobus, who had been in the medical industry since the 1970s, founded both companies in 1999 after working in both the People’s Republic of China and the Soviet Union, according to his biography.
Bonenfant, a 2025 Smithtown West graduate on Long Island, had committed to playing Division I lacrosse at Queens University of Charlotte.
Before the 2025 fall semester, Bonenfant decided against heading to North Carolina, instead choosing to stay closer to home and study to be an electrician, Newsday reported.
The teen was the adoptive son of Chris Bonenfant, a retired Suffolk County and NYPD officer, according to the outlet.
He was remembered for his bright personality and positive attitude.
“Peter Bonefant was only 19 years old, but in his short life, he had already made the kind of impression on people that lasts forever,” a GoFundMe set up for his family read. “He was the sort of person who could walk into a room and bring energy with him.
“Peter had a way of making people feel comfortable, welcome, and valued. To the people who knew him best, he was not simply a friend, a son, a brother, or a loved one—he was someone who made life brighter just by being part of it,” the memorial said.
Bonenfant was known for his love of cars as he featured several different vehicles he enjoyed working on across his social media accounts.
“Peter deserved more time. He deserved the chance to grow older, experience more of life, build more memories, and continue being there for the people he loved,” the GoFundMe read. “While we cannot change what happened, we can make sure that his memory is honored with the love and respect he deserves.”
