Ex-Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs III to plead guilty in fatal Las Vegas DUI crash that killed woman, dog
Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III plans to plead guilty in the fatal DUI crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor.
Police say that Ruggs was driving his Corvette 156 mph early Nov. 2, 2021, on a Las Vegas street while under the influence of alcohol before crashing into Tintor's Toyota Rav4, rupturing the gas tank, killing Tintor and her golden retriever Max. According to police, Ruggs' blood alcohol content was 0.16, twice the legal limit in Las Vegas. The posted speed limit on the residential street was 45 mph.
Ruggs waived a right to a preliminary hearing Tuesday with the intention of pleading guilty to a felony charge of DUI resulting in death and a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reports. Ruggs initially faced additional charges of DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm, two counts of reckless driving and a misdemeanor firearms charge. Police say that they found a loaded gun in his car.
Defense attorneys and prosecutors agreed that Ruggs will serve a sentence of three to 10 years in prison. He initially faced up to 50 years in prison. Terms of the agreement aren't binding. A judge will have the final say on the length of Ruggs' sentence.
“This is the first step toward a fair resolution to this matter, and we look forward to closure for all the parties involved," Ruggs' attorneys David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld said via a statement.
Ruggs has not yet entered a formal plea. He plans to do so in district court. Chesnoff said during Tuesday's hearing that Ruggs' plea is contingent on the court accepting the agreed-upon sentencing terms.
“This resolution is conditioned upon the court accepting the stipulations of the parties,” Chesnoff said. “In the event that the court does not accept the stipulations, Mr. Ruggs will be permitted to withdraw his guilty plea, proceed to trial and litigate all issues.”
Ruggs, 24, joined the Raiders in 2020 as a first-round draft pick out of Alabama. After he played 13 games as a rookie, the crash ended his Raiders career seven games into his second NFL season. A standout with game-breaking speed at Alabama, Ruggs won a national championship with the Crimson Tide in 2017 and joined the NFL with the expectation of developing into a high-end starter. The Raiders released Ruggs on the same day as the crash.
