Henry Ruggs to reach plea agreement in fatal DUI case
Dec 13, 2020; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III (11) against the Indianapolis Colts at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs has decided to plead guilty to charges related to the fatal car accident he was responsible for in November 2021.
Ruggs unconditionally waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Tuesday and will enter a plea agreement, according to ESPN’s Elizabeth Merrill and Anthony Olivieri. The 24-year-old will plead guilty to one count of DUI resulting in death and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.
The plea agreement, which was presented Tuesday in a Las Vegas court, says Ruggs will serve three to 10 years in a Nevada state prison. He is expected to enter the formal guilty plea at his next court date on May 10.
Police have said Ruggs was driving 156 mph near the Las Vegas Strip and intoxicated when he lost control of his Corvette and slammed into a Toyota RAV4 on Nov. 2, 2021. A 23-year-old woman named Tina Tintor and her dog were killed after the Toyota caught fire.
Ruggs’ blood was drawn roughly two hours after the fatal crash. His blood-alcohol content was 0.16, which is twice the legal limit in the state of Nevada. The former Raiders star’s legal team had argued that there was no probable cause for the search warrant that required Ruggs to submit to having his blood drawn. A judge ruled against that motion last July.
A chilling video that was released after the accident helped show just how fast Ruggs was traveling in his Corvette.
Three charges — one count of DUI causing substantial harm regarding his passenger and two counts of reckless driving — will be dropped as part of Ruggs’ plea agreement.
The Raiders drafted Ruggs, a former Alabama star, in the first round in 2020. He caught a total of 50 passes across two seasons and was cut following the fatal crash.
