Following a guilty plea, former Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs received a prison sentence that will range from 3-10 years, Caroline Bleakley of 8 News Now reports.
Handed down Wednesday, this sentence comes nearly two years after Ruggs was arrested for his role in a car accident that killed a woman and her dog in Las Vegas. Ruggs, 24, entered his guilty plea May 10. Ruggs will serve his sentence in the Nevada state prison.
Accused of reaching speeds of 156 mph while impaired in the crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor, Ruggs faced a harsher prison sentence if convicted. The former first-round pick was hit with several charges — DUI resulting in death, DUI resulting in bodily harm, two counts of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm, and possessing a firearm while under the influence. An accepted plea deal reduced the charges to DUI resulting in death, along with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, Bleakley adds.
“I sincerely apologize for my actions the morning of Nov. 2, 2021,” a Ruggs statement read. “My actions are not a true reflection of me.”
Ruggs’ Corvette collided with Tintor’s Toyota RAV4, launching the woman’s vehicle 571 feet and setting it on fire. The accident occurred just west of The Strip. Ruggs and a female passenger suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the crash. Ruggs refused a field sobriety test, but blood tests approximately two hours later revealed a blood-alcohol level of .161 — more than twice the legal limit.
Not given any credit for the time he has spent on house arrest since the accident, Ruggs must serve at least three years in prison. The Raiders selected the Alabama alum 12th overall in 2020, making the deep threat the first receiver chosen that year. The team waived Ruggs hours after the crash.
Slap on the wrist compared to what he did
Agreed. Way to light.
An abomination of our judicial system.
Not even close to justice.
Yeah, this woman was trapped in her car and burned alive and he might do 3 years. It’s a complete joke.
Tbh, I am surprised he has to serve that much. Think about it, he was a celebrity and they almost always get a slap on the wrist.
Should have to give every penny he owns to her family (and hopefully in the civil case that happens) and is barred from the league forever. Though that does hurt the woman’s civil case for future payment…..
Absolutely ZERO chance he ever plays another down in the NFL. Maybe the XFL.
Should be 25 years in prison minimum. Why is this country so lax on punishing criminals?
I thought the 10 year sentences were being reserved for the NFL players that ran afoul of Goodell’s gambling policy (sarcasm intended).
Oj decapitated his wife and gutted her lover and evaded arrest and we all watched it and he got off and he’s posting on Twitter and golfing. There is no justice for the wealthy or narrative damaging individuals. Whole things a joke.
Granted, but at least in Ruggs’ case, what he did was unintentional. O.J.’s…not so much. And, even though we all know that O.J. did it, he was never convicted. Ruggs is pleading guilty. Still, his sentence seems pretty light, plea deal or naught. I expected more than a three year minimum.
I don’t know him, so I won’t make judgement on his character, but Ruggs has plenty of time to try and do what he can to make up for his crime. It’d be better to see the appropriate sentencing first, and then the opportunity for making up for it through deeds, instead of giving leniency up front, though. Money talks, and so does celebrity.
Tough to make up for killing a lady and her dog at 150 mph while drunk unless he knows about a pet cemetery on ancient Indian burial grounds. But ya know what they say, sometimes dead is better dead
I don’t mean to say that Ruggs could make up for it in equal measure. But the best that could happen is that he tries, rather than simply serving the meager sentence that he was given and move on. There’s not really any way that Ruggs could equalize or rectify his mistake. I am not advocating some kind of quid pro quo or vengeful retribution. But it is frustrating, as you said, to see such a marked difference between haves and have nots in punishment-not unexpected, however.
The 150mph was on city streets. Not on a remote highway. And he’s drunk and had a gun. 3 years is insane.
Link to bodycam footage
link to youtu.be
That is horrific.
Oh yeah, I’m not sticking up for Ruggs. Just trying to think of some way to find the best path going forward. It’s bad enough what happened, and bad that the sentence was so light. Maybe Ruggs could at least share his mistakes with other players and try and influence others to not do the same. Now his life is over figuratively, and the victims’ lives are literally.
Well that sentence is getting appealed for more by the family
He most have had a good lawyer with that nfl money. Took a woman’s life and only gets MAYBE 5 years?
So he will be starting for the Chiefs in 2027.
He’s on the Seahawks radar
Pete Carroll is always on the lookout for a good reclamation project and I kinda like that about him.
What an absolute travesty.
Good for Henry. I hope his car didn’t get dinged up too bad. He’ll get plenty of workouts in and get off on good behavior in 18 months because of overcrowding. It’s not like he’s gonna do it again. He’ll be a top free agent that teams are fighting over before you know it.
#JusticeforHenry
And the award for the biggest dirtbag on the site goes to…
I think the original comment was sarcasm
It’s hard to tell these days. Dirtbags are everywhere…
Considering his second comment down below I’m willing to bet it’s not sarcasm and he’s just garbage
It’s a clear case of racial profilin. Gettin so a black man camtt even drive his car anymore. It was a roadway people….not a parking lot. She was just sittin there gettin high not payin attention. Cops smelled weed when they got the fire put out. My cousin was there. He told me.
It’s a clear case of when you screw up play the Race card!
My money is on the lady smoking weed when they arrived on the scene and smelled it, too. Not the degenerate who was doing 150 mph and at least two times the legal alcohol limit. Yup.
This will look even worse when he’s let out early for good behavior or something stupid like that.
Are you trying to say a black man shouldn’t be able to get out on good behavior?
He didn’t say that at all. But you might wanna ask the family of the woman who was burned alive for their thoughts..
I want his lawyer
COMMENTS OPEN!!!! …..This time…….but they’re watching….
I imagine it’s a bit difficult to get hired as a forum moderator if you state in the job interview that you object to watching anything.
They do it for free.
Clean it up jannies!
My man!
It’s amazing manslaughter can be a misdemeanor in America
Which team’s signing him when he gets out?