Former NFL Receiver Henry Ruggs III Has Been Sentenced to Prison
Published Aug. 10 2023, 11:47 a.m. ET
The Gist:
- Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III has been sentenced to 3–10 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of DUI resulting in death and vehicular manslaughter.
- On Nov. 2, 2021, Ruggs crashed into another vehicle while driving under the influence of alcohol, killing both the other driver — 23-year-old Tina Tintor — and her dog.
- It isn't clear yet where Ruggs will spend his prison sentence.
After pleading guilty in Clark County District Court to a felony charge of DUI resulting in death and a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter in May 2023, former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III has been sentenced. The news of his sentencing spread online, leading many to wonder where Ruggs is now, and how long he may be locked up for.
The charges of reckless driving against Ruggs were quite serious, and he has owned up to his actions in the years since his drunk driving accident occurred in 2021.
Where is Henry Ruggs III now?
Although he has now been sentenced, it isn't clear where Ruggs will ultimately spend his prison sentence. His trial was conducted in Clark County in Nevada. He has been under house arrest since he was first arrested in relation to the crime in 2021. Thanks to his plea deal, he was able to receive a much less severe sentence than what's typically allotted in cases where a drunk driving accident leads to a death.
What happened during Henry Ruggs III's accident?
The accident that resulted in Ruggs being arrested and eventually sentenced occurred when he was driving more than 150 miles per hour down residential streets with a blood-alcohol content of 0.16, which is twice the legal limit. He crashed his car into another vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle, 23-year-old Tina Tintor, and her dog both died in the crash in November 2021. Ruggs was charged with DUI, reckless driving, and possession of a firearm while under the influence. He was released by the Raiders shortly afterwards.
During his sentencing, Ruggs made a statement apologizing for his actions.
"I sincerely apologize for my actions the morning of Nov. 2, 2021," he read. "My actions are not a true reflection of me."
In May, the Tintor family released a statement following the news that Ruggs had plead guilty.
"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."
The outcome of Henry Ruggs's sentencing was surprising considering the charges.
During his sentencing hearing on Aug. 9, 2023, Ruggs was sentenced to 3–10 years in prison. How much of that time he actually serves will depend in part on his own behavior as well as a range of other factors.
"I recognize this outcome is not sufficient to punish Ruggs for the loss the Tintor family has suffered," the district attorney prosecuting the case said in May, "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."
