Contributed by Lauren Taylor
Henry Ruggs III, former wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders, is facing up to 46 years behind bars if convicted, according to prosecutor Eric Bauman.
Ruggs was driving his Chevy Corvette at 156 mph with a blood alcohol level twice the amount of Nevada’s legal limit right before he rear-ended a Toyota RAV4 that then burst into flames, killing a 23-year-old woman, according to prosecutors.
ESPN reported that Tina O. Tintor was the name of the Las Vegas woman who died with her dog in the car, according to police. Bauman told the judge that airbag computer records show that the Corvette decelerated from 156 mph to 127 mph prior to the time of impact which occurred at about 3:40 a.m. Tuesday, rupturing the Toyota’s fuel tank and igniting a fireball.
“The Raiders are aware of an accident involving Henry Ruggs III that occurred this morning in Las Vegas,” the team said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “We are devastated by the loss of life and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim’s family. We are in the process of gathering information and will have no further comment at this time.”
Later Tuesday evening Ruggs was released from The Raiders after the statement was announced. Shortly after he was discharged from the hospital he was booked into a Las Vegas Jail. Kiara Je’nai Kilgo-Washington, 22, Ruggs’ girlfriend has also sustained a severe arm injury, as she was in the car at the time of the crash as well. The two have a 3-year-old daughter together.
The district attorney said he may also file a weapon charge against Ruggs related to possessing a gun while under the influence of alcohol. Ruggs had a loaded gun in the car at the time of the crash.
In 2013, the NFL Players Association initiated a contract with rideshare services to provide free transportation to members “specifically to prevent tragedies such as this” said the prosecutor to the judge.
Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Joe M. Bonaventure said that in 16 years on the bench he had never heard of a crash involving a vehicle traveling so fast. Even this that, he rejected prosecutor Eric Bauman’s request to set Ruggs’ bail at $1 million and instead set the amount at $150,000 with strict conditions to include home confinement, electronic monitoring, no alcohol, no driving, and the surrender of Ruggs’ passport.
Ruggs has another court appearance on Nov. 10th.
This is following Raiders running back Josh Jacobs crashing a sports car into a tunnel wall on a roadway at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, less than a year ago.