After pleading guilty in May before a Clark County court to one count of DUI resulting in death and one count of vehicular manslaughter, former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison on Wednesday.
Ruggs was accused of driving up to 156 miles per hour on residential streets, with a blood alcohol content of 0.16 percent (twice the legal limit), at the time of a crash that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog in November 2021. Initially, he was charged with DUI, reckless driving, and having a firearm under the influence of alcohol, and was immediately dismissed by the Raiders following the charges.
During the sentencing hearing, Ruggs read a statement that he said was for the Tintor family and parents. "I sincerely apologize for my actions on the morning of November 2, 2021," he read, according to a local CBS news station. "My actions are not a true reflection of who I am."
Ruggs' attorney described his client as a "kind, shy, extremely bright, and considerate young man." He added, "There is no doubt that he takes full responsibility for this."
District Attorney Steven B. Wolfson issued a statement after the May hearing in which Ruggs pleaded guilty. "I recognize that this outcome is not enough to punish Ruggs for the loss suffered by the Tintor family," the statement said, "but there was a legitimate concern that a court could have thrown out the result of the blood analysis. We would have lost the charge of DUI resulting in death. We could not take that risk. This resolution sends Ruggs to prison for up to 10 years on a serious DUI charge and brings closure to the Tintor family."
The Tintor family also issued a statement through their lawyers at that time. "Today, like every day, we remember Tina and Max, and how they were taken away from us on that fateful night," the statement said, according to ESPN. "No conviction will bring Tina and Max back, but we hope that everyone learns from this preventable incident so that no other family has to suffer like we do. We appreciate the prosecution's efforts to overcome the issues caused by the initial investigation and we look forward to moving on from this to focus on honoring Tina and Max's memories."
Originally posted at Abogados de Choques
