Henry Ruggs has already lost his job and is facing a lengthy prison sentence for his alleged role in a fatal crash on Tuesday morning.
Ruggs, the No. 12 overall pick by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020, was involved in a fatal car crash in Las Vegas early Tuesday. The 22-year-old wide receiver allegedly was speeding and slammed his Corvette into the back of a Toyota Rav4 around 3:39 a.m. The Toyota caught fire, and a woman inside the car was unable to escape and died.
Another woman, Ruggs’ girlfriend Kiara Washington, was injured in the crash. Washington reportedly sustained serious injuries.
Ruggs showed signs of impairment at the scene, according to police.
Ruggs has already been booked on two felony charges: DUI with serious bodily harm and reckless driving with death or serious bodily harm. He faces up to 20 years in prison for the DUI charge. The reckless driving with death charge also carries a 1-6 year penalty.
Even though they invested a big draft pick in Ruggs, the Raiders did not take long to make a decision on the young man’s future. They announced Tuesday night that they had cut the receiver.
The Las Vegas Raiders have released WR Henry Ruggs III.
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) November 3, 2021
The NFL issued a statement earlier in the day.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the victim of this horrific tragedy. We will continue to gather facts and monitor the matter under our policies, but our thoughts at this time are with those impacted by this devastating incident,” the NFL said in its statement.
Ruggs had 24 catches for 469 yards and two touchdowns in seven games this season. His NFL career may very well be over after just one and a half seasons.
Photo: Jul 28, 2021; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III (11) is pictured during a post-practice presser at Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center in Henderson. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
