After former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III pleaded guilty in May in a Clark County District Court to a felony charge of DUI resulting in death and a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter, he was booked on Monday, according to CBS 8 in Las Vegas, and set to serve his prison sentence, which could range from three to 10 years. He is eligible to petition for parole in August 2026.
Ruggs was accused of driving up to 156 miles per hour down 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 deaths of a 23-year-old woman, Tina Tintor, and her dog in November 2021. He was initially charged with DUI, reckless driving, and possession of a firearm while under the influence, and was released by the Raiders in the immediate wake of the charges.
At sentencing, Ruggs read a statement that he said was for the family and parents of Tintor. "I sincerely apologize for my actions the morning of Nov. 2, 2021," he read, according to a local CBS News station. "My actions are not a true reflection of me."
Ruggs' attorney said of his client that Ruggs is a "kind, shy, extremely bright, and thoughtful young man." He added, "Make no mistake he takes full responsibility for this."
District Attorney Steven B. Wolfson released a statement after the May hearing at which Ruggs pleaded guilty. "I recognize this outcome is not sufficient to punish Ruggs for the loss the Tintor family has suffered," the statement said, "but there was a legitimate concern that a court would have suppressed the result of the blood draw. We would have lost the felony DUI charge. We couldn't take that chance. This resolution sends Ruggs to prison for up to 10 years on a felony DUI conviction and brings closure to the Tintor family."
The Tintor family also released a statement via their attorneys at that time. "Today, like every day, we remember Tina and Max, and how they were taken from us that fateful night," the statement, per ESPN. "No sentence will ever bring Tina and Max back, but we hope that everyone learns from this preventable incident so that no other families suffer like we do. We appreciate the efforts of the district attorney's office to overcome the issues caused by the initial investigation, and we look forward to putting this behind us so that we can focus on honoring the memories of Tina and Max."
