Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III has been sentenced to three to 10 years in prison for his involvement in a deadly car accident. Ruggs pleaded guilty to one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled substances resulting in death and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. The accident occurred on November 2, 2021, when Ruggs’ Corvette struck a Toyota RAV4 driven by 23-year-old Tina Tintor, who died in the wreck.
On August 9, Judge Jennifer Schwartz followed the plea agreement and sentenced Ruggs to 36 to 120 months in prison for the first count and six months in prison for the second count. Ruggs is currently incarcerated at Stewart Conservation Camp, located about 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas. The camp has a capacity of 360 inmates and primarily assigns them to 12-man fire crews working with the Nevada Division of Forestry.
Ruggs’ earliest parole eligibility date is August 5, 2026, and his maximum incarceration is 120 months. However, the Department of Corrections calculates his mandatory parole release as July 4, 2027. Inmates in Nevada with sentences of at least three years receive mandatory parole release consideration unless they have consecutive sentences, have been released on parole previously for the same sentence, or are considered a danger to public safety.
Ruggs had a promising football career before the accident. He played college football at the University of Alabama and was a member of the Crimson Tide’s national championship team in 2017. Ruggs was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders as the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. At the time of his arrest, he had 50 receptions for 921 yards and four touchdowns in 20 games for the Raiders.
The Raiders released Ruggs on the same day as the accident. He had signed a four-year contract worth $16.672 million, with most of it being a signing bonus. Ruggs had received $11.019 million from the Raiders before his release.
Law enforcement authorities determined that Ruggs’ Corvette was traveling at high speeds before the collision, reaching 156 mph 2.5 seconds before impact and 127 mph at the time of the crash. The Clark County Office of the Coroner determined that Tina Tintor died from thermal injuries due to the collision, along with other significant contributing factors.
The case faced several delays due to various factors, including the wait for a police report, defense requests for more time to inspect evidence, disputes over judges and court assignments, and challenges to the legality of the blood draw that yielded incriminating evidence.
Ruggs’ sentencing serves as a reminder of the serious consequences of driving under the influence and the importance of responsible decision-making on the road.Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III has been sentenced to three to 10 years in prison by a Nevada judge. Ruggs pleaded guilty to one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. The charges stem from a deadly accident that occurred in Las Vegas on November 2, 2021.
The accident occurred when Ruggs’ Corvette struck a Toyota RAV4 driven by 23-year-old Tina Tintor. Tintor and her dog tragically lost their lives in the collision. Ruggs’ blood-alcohol level was found to be 0.161 percent, well above the legal limit of 0.08 percent in Nevada.
On August 9, Judge Jennifer Schwartz followed the plea agreement and sentenced Ruggs to 36 to 120 months in prison for the first count and six months in prison for the second count. Ruggs is currently incarcerated at Stewart Conservation Camp, located about 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas.
Ruggs’ earliest parole eligibility date is set for August 5, 2026, and his maximum incarceration is 120 months. However, the Department of Corrections calculates his mandatory parole release as July 4, 2027. Inmates in Nevada with sentences of at least three years receive mandatory parole release consideration, unless they have consecutive sentences or are deemed a danger to public safety.
Prior to his arrest, Ruggs had a promising career in football. He was a standout player at Lee High School in Montgomery, Alabama, and received All-State recognition. Ruggs went on to play for the University of Alabama, where he was part of the CFP national-championship team in 2017. He was then selected by the Las Vegas Raiders as the 12th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
During his time with the Raiders, Ruggs had 50 receptions for 921 yards and four touchdowns in 20 games. However, the team released him on the same day as the accident.
Ruggs had signed a four-year contract worth $16.672 million, with the Raiders paying him $11.019 million before his release. The majority of this amount was a signing bonus of $9.685 million.
The delays in Ruggs’ case were caused by various factors, including the wait for a police report, defense requests for more time to inspect evidence, disputes over judges and court assignments, and challenges to the legality of the blood draw.
It is a tragic turn of events for a young athlete with a promising future. Ruggs’ actions have had devastating consequences, and he will now face the consequences of his choices as he serves his prison sentence.