Former Raiders player under house arrest for deadly DUI

Following a deadly DUI crash, former Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III is under house arrest until his trial on Dec. 8.

According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD), at approximately 3:39 a.m. on Nov. 2, officers responded to a traffic collision. They found a woman and her dog inside a Toyota Rav4 dead at the scene. The woman was later identified as 23-year-old Tina Tintor. 

Television station KVVU reported Tintor was on her way home from a night at the park with her dog and a friend. Shortly after dropping her friend off, she was a mile from her house when her car was hit, and the high impact sent her 500 feet down the road. Neither her nor her dog, Max, made it out of the fiery wreck.

In a tweet LVMPD released about the crash, they said, “The preliminary investigation indicates the front of the Chevrolet collided with the rear of the Toyota,” which put Ruggs at fault for the accident and the resulting death.  

“The driver of the Chevrolet, identified as 22-year-old Henry Rugs III, remained on scene and showed signs of impairment. He was transported to UMC hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Ruggs will be charged with DUI resulting in death.”

After Ruggs and his girlfriend, Rudy Washington, were released from the hospital from injuries sustained from the accident, he was moved to the county jail for DUI and death charges.

According to Sporting News, in Ruggs’ first court appearance, Chief Deputy District Attorney Eric Bauman presented evidence that Ruggs traveled at 156 mph and had a blood-alcohol level over twice the legal limit.  

The current charges against Rugg’s include a DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm, reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm and possession of a gun while under the influence. The first two counts are felonies, and the third is a misdemeanor.

“In Nevada, DUI resulting in death is a category B felony, among the second-most serious offenses in the state,” said Sporting News. “It carries a possible sentence of two to 20 years in prison, and probation is not an option following a conviction. Reckless driving carries a possible sentence of one to six years in prison.”

As a result, Ruggs’ is under strict regulations to remain on house arrest with a continuous alcohol monitor on one ankle and a GPS monitor. 

After a delay in Ruggs providing a breath-alcohol test on Nov. 13, the judge stated that as a result, she was “comfortable with a higher level of monitoring” on the former wide receiver until his trial.

Following the news of Tintor’s death and Ruggs’ involvement, Ruggs was released from the Raiders team, and they released a statement that the franchise was “devastated by the loss of life, and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim’s family.”