Former Raiders’ WR Henry Ruggs III sentenced to 10 years for fatal DUI crash in 2021. What do we know?
It’s been a year and a half since the former Raiders player was involved in a tragic accident that took the life of a young woman and her dog. He’s now been sentenced.
While the focus will undoubtedly be on the life that was lost - as it should be - one can spare some degree of sympathy for the young man at the center of it all whose youthful lack of judgment ended one life and changed his own forever.
Former Raiders’ Henry Ruggs III
According to reports on Wednesday, former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was sentenced to three to 10 years in Nevada state prison, after he pleaded guilty to charges which he faced as a result of a fatal DUI crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor.
It is understood that Ruggs pleaded guilty back in May in a Clark County District Court to a felony charge of DUI resulting in death, and a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter for which he was finally sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison on Wednesday. If you missed our previous report back in November of 2021, 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. He was then charged with DUI, reckless driving, and possession of a firearm while under the influence, and was subsequently released by the Raiders in the immediate aftermath of the charges.
Henry Ruggs III shows his remorse
During the sentencing, Ruggs read a statement that he indicated was for the family and parents of Tintor. “I sincerely apologize for my actions the morning of Nov. 2, 2021. ...My actions are not a true reflection of me.” Further to that, Rugg’s attorney also added that his client is a “kind, shy, extremely bright, and thoughtful young man,” before stating that Ruggs is truly aware of what he’s done. “Make no mistake he takes full responsibility for this.”
Though punished, Henry Ruggs III’s sentence is divisive
It’s interesting to note that Ruggs’ sentence appears to have been the product of some degree of negotiation. Indeed, District Attorney Steven B. Wolfson released a statement following Rugg’s guilty plea in May that warrants some consideration. “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.”
Tina Tintor’s family have their say
In a statement released through their attorneys, the Tintor family commented on what was undoubtedly a moment of closure, but immense pain at the same time. “Today, like every day, we remember Tina and Max, and how they were taken from us that fateful night,” the statement read. “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.”