Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver, Henry Ruggs III, was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday, Nov. 2 after killing a 23-year-old woman and her dog in a car crash. The fatal crash happened around 3:40 a.m. that morning.
Ruggs was driving at a speed of approximately 156 mph when he hit the back of the victim’s Toyota Rav4 with his Chevrolet Camaro. It was also determined that Ruggs’ blood alcohol limit was twice Nevada’s legal limit.
The victim was identified as Tina Tintor. Her car caught on fire after being struck by Ruggs’, where both her and her dog did not survive. Also injured in the accident was Rugg’s girlfriend, Kiara Je’nai Kilgo-Washington, also known as Rudy Washington. She was in the passenger seat of Ruggs’ vehicle.
At the time of the arrest, Ruggs was charged with DUI resulting in death and reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm. As of Saturday Nov. 6, it was determined that Ruggs will now face a total of five charges.
According to TMZ, Ruggs faces two additional felony charges because of the injuries Rudy Washingston suffered. He was also charged with a misdemeanor of possession of a handgun while under the influence.
If convicted of all counts, Ruggs could be in prison for up to 46 years. He was released on Tuesday from Clark County Detention Center on a $150,000 bond and is currently under house arrest. Ruggs is being monitored while he was also ordered to give up his passport and restrain himself from consuming any alcohol.
“I am sad to see him be released, although there is no doubt that it was the right thing to do,” said Macy Helmer, sophomore. “There is no justification for his actions, he should have never been driving under the influence in the first place.”
The Raiders selected Ruggs in the 2020 NFL Draft as their 12th overall pick.
Before signing with the Raiders, Ruggs played for The University of Alabama for three years. During his time playing for the Crimson Tide, he appeared in 41 contests with 27 starts. Additional achievements playing college football include his 98 receptions and 24 touchdowns.
While playing for the Raiders, Ruggs had 24 receptions and two touchdowns in 2021 alone.
The Raiders made a public statement Tuesday afternoon after the accident. According to their statement on Twitter, the 22 year-old wide reciever is no longer a part of the Las Vegas Raiders organization.
“He was one of my favorite players. I’ve watched him since he played for Alabama,” said Samantha Bain, junior. “I can’t say I have the same respect for him as I used to. What he did was wrong and that’s that.”