LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Former Las Vegas Raiders wide-receiver Henry Ruggs III has pleaded guilty and accepted a plea deal in his fatal DUI case.
Ruggs entered his plea on Wednesday, admitting that he was driving drunk during a crash in November 2021 that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog.
According to an arrest report, Ruggs reportedly drove under the influence at 127 mph when he collided with Tintor, causing her vehicle to catch fire. Police also applied for a search warrant to obtain a sample of Ruggs' blood at the scene of the crash, which would later reveal that his blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit.
In May 2022, Ruggs' defense lawyers filed a motion to suppress the blood sample, claiming that there was insufficient evidence to grant the search warrant. The judge would later rule that the blood sample was admissible in court.
As part of his plea, Ruggs will be sentenced to at least 3 years in prison for his DUI charges. He was also charged with felony reckless driving, which can charge a sentence of 1-6 years in prison.
According to a news release from the District Attorney's office, Tintor's family has been heavily involved in the case.
"Tina's family members are the most important people in this process, and I met with them several times before reaching this resolution," DA Steve Wolfson said in the release.
The Tintor family also released a statement on Ruggs' plea deal through their attorney, which reads:
“Today, like every day, we remember Tina and Max, and how they were taken from us that fateful night. No sentence will ever bring Tina and Max back, but we hope that everyone learns from this preventable incident so that no other families suffer like we do. We appreciate the efforts of the district attorney’s office to overcome the issues caused by the initial investigation, and we look forward to putting this behind us so that we can focus on honoring the memories of Tina and Max.”
David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, Ruggs' defense attorneys, also released a statement following Wednesday's court proceedings.
"Henry entered his plea today in hopes that it will further the process of healing the wounds caused by the accident," the statement read. "We will make a more complete statement once the Honorable Court has fully accepted the resolution."
Ruggs will be back in court for sentencing on Aug. 9, 2023.
