FORMER Raiders star Henry Ruggs is due back in court on Wednesday after he was previously released on bail.
Prosecutors claim that Ruggs III, 22, was twice the legal alcohol limit and was driving at 156 miles per hour when he reportedly attempted to slow down before skidding 570 feet and slamming Tintor's Toyota Rav 4.
Ruggs was initially charged with two felony charges of DUI and reckless driving resulting in death after the deadly car crash he was involved in.
Prosecutors also aim to charge Ruggs with a misdemeanor for a loaded gun that was allegedly found in his car. Ruggs could face up to 46 years in prison if convicted of all the charges.
The former Raider was released on $150k bail and has since been under house arrest.
Ruggs, 22, also appeared in court last Wednesday, where he was accused of driving while intoxicated and had a loaded illegal firearm at the time of the crash, which occurred in the central Las Vegas area at around 3am on Tuesday.
Read our Henry Ruggs live blog for the latest news and updates…
- Jocelyn Cook
RUGGS IN COURT?
Although it was reported that Ruggs was expected in court on Wednesday, a local reporter revealed on Twitter he may not personally appear.
"Henry Ruggs is expected in court again this morning. Prosecutors are expected to formally charge him with two DUI counts, two reckless driving counts, and possession of a gun while under the influence of alcohol," Katelyn Newberg initially shared on Twitter.
However, in a reply, she added, "Ruggs’ defense attorneys just arrived in court. Ruggs himself is not going to appear, David Chesnoff said."
- Jocelyn Cook
OFFICIAL STATEMENT FROM VICTIM'S FAMILY
The Naqvi Injury Law released a statement on the behalf of Tina Tintor's family.
It reads: “Tina’s tragic loss has devastated her family beyond a grief they could ever comprehend.
“Family was everything to Tina, and she was the light of her parents’ life.
“Tina lived in Las Vegas since she was a baby.
“She loved her 3-year-old Golden Retriever, Max, who passed alongside her Tuesday morning.
“The Tinto family appreciates privacy as they mourn.
“May Tina rest in peace.”
- Jocelyn Cook
VIGIL WAS HELD FOR TINA TINTOR
A vigil was held at the intersection at Rainbow Boulevard and Spring Valley Parkway near the Sunset Strip in honor of Tintor.
The vigil held to pay tribute to Tintor included an assortment of votive candles, multiple stuffed animal dogs and tear-strewn faces.
Attendees could be seen holding candles as the sound of Las Vegas traffic could be heard whizzing by.
- Jocelyn Cook
RAIDERS DON'T BLAME RUGGS' ABSENCE FOR LOSS, CONTINUED
Carr said the Giants tweaked their coverages without Ruggs, on the field, according to the outlet, but that New York didn’t do anything the team isn't used to seeing when Ruggs is not in the game.
“With that kind of speed, obviously, you have to do different things,” Carr said.
"But it wasn’t anything out of the blue or anything crazy or anything like that."
“But I miss him, I love him, but when we went out there today, we still almost threw for 300, we ran the ball with efficiency and explosives. We just turned the ball over.”
- Jocelyn Cook
RAIDERS DO NOT BLAME RUGGS’ ABSENCE FOR LOSS TO GIANTS
After losing to the Giants last Sunday 23-16, the Raiders were questioned on whether the Henry Ruggs tragedy impacted the team.
Quarterback Derek Carr and interim head coach Rich Bisaccia said that the team’s disappointing performance last week was not due to outside factors.
“We’ve all been emotionally impacted by what happened in that particular situation, but, again, as the week went on, I felt like the men that are in that locker room right now collectively and individually got themselves to the point where what they do best is play football, and I thought they came here today and played football, and they played it well," he said, according to AL.com.
"And again, we just didn’t execute to the point where we have been the last two weeks or in the place that we would like to.”
- G. P. Rodriguez
RUGGS ‘FACING UP TO 46 YEARS IN PRISON’
Las Vegas prosecutors tacked a misdemeanor gun possession rap on the 22-year-old professional football player in addition to four felonies.
Ruggs also faces DUI resulting in death, DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm and two reckless driving charges, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
If convicted, he could be sent away to prison for 46 years.
- G. P. Rodriguez
RUGGS IS ‘IN GOOD SPIRITS’
Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith told reporters that former Raiders star Henry Ruggs was doing ok following the fatal crash he was involved in last week.
“We discussed everything,” said Smith. “He’s in good spirits. I’m just glad that he’s himself. He’s gotten himself together and he’s not just down on himself.”
- G. P. Rodriguez
FORMER RAIDERS STAR DAMON ARNETTE ‘SEEN BRANDISHING GUN AND THREATENING TO KILL’
The Las Vegas Raiders released cornerback Damon Arnette after a video leaked online which allegedly showed him brandishing a gun and threatening to kill.
The footage, which allegedly featured Arnette, leaked on social media on Monday.
Raiders general manager Mike Mayock addressed the decision to cut Arnette on Monday, saying: “Very painful decision. We spent significant time, effort, and resources trying to help him in all aspects of his life.
“We cannot stand for the video of Damon with a gun, threatening to take a life,” Mayock added.
- G. P. Rodriguez
A FALLEN STAR
Ruggs was supposed to be a cornerstone for the Las Vegas Raiders.
He was picked 12th overall in the 2020 draft after three years at Alabama, including helping the Crimson Tide win the NCAA championship as a freshman in 2017.
He was emerging as a star this season with 24 catches for a team-high 469 yards and two touchdowns.
But now, the wide receiver is facing upwards of 20 years in prison if found guilty, meaning he may never take to the field of play again.
- G. P. Rodriguez
HOW FAST WAS RUGGS DRIVING?
During a court appearance, Ruggs was accused of traveling 156mph, which Judge Joe Bonaventure said was the highest speed he’s heard during his career on the bench, according to a local reporter.
Prosecutors alleged that Ruggs’ blood was drawn within two hours, where he had an alcohol level of .161 which is more than twice the legal limit.
- G. P. Rodriguez
LEAD UP TO THE CRASH
The circumstances leading up to the crash remain under investigation, but a preliminary probe determined that Ruggs’ Chevrolet crashed into the back of the Toyota at high speed.
Newly released video footage shows flames engulfing the Toyota in the aftermath of the crash, as one person can be seen sitting down in the road and another by Ruggs’ car.
The driver of the Toyota was dead by the time police arrived on the scene.
- G. P. Rodriguez
‘SHE WAS ONLY 23 YEARS OLD’
After Tina Tintor was killed in the crash, her loved ones spoke out.
“She was only 23 years old,” said Mary Vogle, a former co-worker, said of the young woman, according to KTNV.
“Didn’t even live half her life. And now it’s gone — taken away senselessly.”
“Every time I look back and think about her, I just see her smile and I see good times,” said Ryder Hankins, who also previously worked with Tintor.
“We would laugh in the check stands together. The unbearable eight-hour shifts — we would laugh and it would feel like nothing because she was there.”
- G. P. Rodriguez
'SLOW DOWN'
Footage emerged which appeared to show Ruggs' girlfriend telling him to "slow down" as he raced down a street in September last year.
Rudy Washington, 22, is said to have shared the clip to her YouTube in which she laughs as her boyfriend revs the engine of his car.
Prosecutors say that Ruggs III, 22, was twice the legal alcohol limit and was driving at 156 miles per hour when he reportedly attempted to slow down.
He skidded 570 feet before slamming Tintor's Toyota Rav 4, they added.
- G. P. Rodriguez
PLAYERS AND ALABAMA COACH OFFER SUPPORT, PART 3
Raiders Quarterback Derek Carr publicly said he will always be there for Ruggs, and shared that the former star texted him the night of the fatal crash, hours before it happened.
“He needs people to love him right now,” said Carr. “He’s probably feeling a certain type of way about himself right now. He needs to be loved. If no one else will do it, I’ll do it.”
- G. P. Rodriguez
PLAYERS AND ALABAMA COACH OFFER SUPPORT TO HENRY RUGGS, PART TWO
New York Giants star Kadarius Toney stood up to those who are slamming Ruggs’ for his involvement in the crash.
“We young…..everybody make mistakes….y’all lookin at the situation like “this or that” kuz it ain’t y’all…having so much too say….he know he messed up don’t drag em for it……that’s goofy to me….just pray for the families involved,” Toney tweeted on Wednesday.
- G. P. Rodriguez
PLAYERS AND ALABAMA COACH OFFER SUPPORT TO HENRY RUGGS
Raiders Quarterback Derek Carr, New York Giants star Kadarius Toney, and Alabama coach Nick Saban offered their support to former Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs.
“Our thoughts and prayers certainly go out to all involved in this tragic situation, especially the victims,” Saban said Thursday, via The Tuscaloosa News. “Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with them. But our thoughts and prayers are also with Henry and his family.”
“These consequences are going to probably be pretty devastating to Henry. We love him. We’re going to support him through it, but we also have a lot of compassion for the victims, and our thoughts and prayers are also with them,” Saban added.
- G. P. Rodriguez
OUTRAGE OVER ‘SPEED KILLS’ T-SHIRTS
Social media users are calling for the merchandise with the slogan “Speed Kills” to be removed online.
Journalist Hunter S. Thompson attributed the quote to the former owner and general manager of the Oakland Raiders Al Davis, according to the Focus.
The exact quote is: “Speed kills. You can’t teach speed. Everything else in the game can be taught but speed is a gift from God.
It has been used recently when referring to Ruggs, who appeared to adopt the mantra.
The athlete, renowned for his speed, was the fastest player at the 2020 NFL combine as he completed a 40-yard dash in 4.27-seconds.
- G. P. Rodriguez
DESEAN JACKSON JOINING THE RAIDERS
The Las Vegas Raiders have signed a new player after Henry Ruggs was released from the team.
Receiver DeSean Jackson is signing with the Raiders, he told NFL reporter Josina Anderson, according to ESPN.
Previously, he was a free agent.
- G. P. Rodriguez
FELLOW RAIDERS PLAYER DARREN WALLER CALLS HENRY RUGGS CRASH ‘SHOCKING’
“Henry is somebody everybody liked,” Darren Waller said Sunday after the Raiders lost to the New York Giants, according to TMZ.
“Not just because he was the fastest person you’ve ever seen run on the field. But he was a good person and a respectful person.”
“It is shocking,” Waller said of the situation with Ruggs. “And it does hurt a little bit.”
- G. P. Rodriguez
'THIS CAPTION DIDN’T AGE WELL,’ SAY INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS
Just a few days before the tragic crash, on October 25, Ruggs posted on Instagram an image of himself on the field with the caption “Can’t be flagged down I’m the move”.
People have since returned to the post to leave comments in relation to the incident, with one commenting: “this caption didn’t age well”.
A second user said: “But you got flagged for DUI manslaughter.”
“Helmets to handcuffs”, said another.
- G. P. Rodriguez
RAIDERS DO NOT BLAME RUGGS’ ABSENSE FOR LOSS TO GIANTS
After losing to the Giants last Sunday 23-16, the Raiders were questioned on whether the Henry Ruggs tragedy impacted the team.
Quarterback Derek Carr and interim head coach Rich Bisaccia said that the team’s disappointing performance last week was not due to outside factors.
- G. P. Rodriguez
WHAT HAPPENED TO HENRY RUGGS?
Last week, the Raiders released 2020 first-round receiver Ruggs after a high-speed collision claimed the life of Tina Tintor, 23 and her dog.
At around 3.39am on November 2, Ruggs, 22, was allegedly drunk when he slammed his 2020 Chevrolet Corvette into Tintor’s Toyota Rav 4 at a speed of 127 miles per hour.
Authorities say Ruggs, who was twice the legal alcohol limit, was driving at 156mph when he reportedly attempted to slow down and skidded 570 feet before slamming Tintor's SUV.
Ruggs has since been released from prison after posting $150,000 bail; however, he was ordered not to drive, abstain from alcohol and other controlled substances, and surrendered his passport.
- G. P. Rodriguez
IS HENRY RUGGS STILL IN JAIL?
The former Raiders star is currently under house arrest after posting $150,000 bail last week.
- G. P. Rodriguez
'OBVIOUSLY, WE MISSED'
Raiders general manager Mike Mayock Acknowledged that there had been "significant concern" about Damon Arnette leading into the 2020 NFL draft and that the Raiders believed in their own evaluation of him.
"Obviously, we missed," Mayock said. "That is 100% on me."
The online threat is the latest controversy surrounding the troubled young star.
- G. P. Rodriguez
FORMER RAIDERS STAR DAMON ARNETTE 'SEEN BRANDISHING GUN AND THREATENING TO KILL'
The Las Vegas Raiders released cornerback Damon Arnette after a video leaked online which allegedly showed him brandishing a gun and threatening to kill.
The footage, which allegedly featured Arnette, leaked on social media on Monday.
Raiders general manager Mike Mayock addressed the decision to cut Arnette on Monday, saying: "Very painful decision. We spent significant time, effort, and resources trying to help him in all aspects of his life.
"We cannot stand for the video of Damon with a gun, threatening to take a life," Mayock added.
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