LAS VEGAS – A judge set bail at $150,000 for former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III as he faces a charge of driving under the influence resulting in death after a fiery car crash early Tuesday left one person dead, according to multiple reports.
Here are the latest updates:
Update 9:11 p.m. EDT Nov. 3: Las Vegas police identified the victim as Tina Tintor, 23, of Las Vegas, the Las Vegas Review-Journal and KLAS-TV reported.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said he met Tintor’s relatives for the first time Wednesday morning, the Review-Journal reported.
“The family’s torn apart, as anybody would be,” Wolfson told the newspaper. “This was a terrible, terrible collision, so they’re mourning their loss. They’re grieving. They’re mad.”
According to an arrest report that was released Wednesday, at least three bystanders stopped to help Tintor.
According to the arrest report, Alexander Hart, a security guard for a nearby condominium community, drove his security vehicle to the scene, the Review-Journal reported. When he arrived he heard screams coming from the Toyota RAV4 that Tintor was driving. Hart told police the driver was still alive, but he was unable to pull her out because she was pinned inside the SUV, the newspaper reported.
The Toyota “was soon overcome with smoke and heat from flames,” and Hart had to back away, according to the report. Tintor’s dog, who was in the back seat, also died, according to the Review-Journal.
Update 12:45 p.m. EDT Nov. 3: Ruggs made his first appearance before a judge Wednesday while wearing a neck brace in a wheelchair, the Las Vegas Review-Journal and KLAS-TV reported.
Prosecutor Eric Bauman said that in the seconds before the crash, Ruggs was traveling at 156 mph, according to the Review-Journal. Judge Joe Bonaventure said that he could not recall seeing that someone was driving so fast in his career, KLAS reported. After Tuesday’s crash, Ruggs had a blood-alcohol level of 0.16 — more than twice the legal limit, according to the news station.
Bonaventure set Ruggs’ bail at $150,000 and ordered that he be placed under electronic monitoring if he is released, according to KLAS-TV. Prosecutors had sought bail of $1 million, the Review-Journal reported.
Las Vegas police said Tuesday’s early morning crash claimed the life of a 23-year-old woman. Her name was not immediately released.
Update 6:44 a.m. EDT Nov. 3: The Raiders tweeted Tuesday night that they have released Ruggs following his arrest in connection with the suspected DUI crash.
“The Las Vegas Raiders have released WR Henry Ruggs III,” the team wrote, offering no additional details.
Police said a 23-year-old Las Vegas woman died in the crash, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Her name has not been released.
Ruggs is expected to appear in court Wednesday, the newspaper reported.
Original report: The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department stated just before 2 p.m. that Ruggs, 22, suffered non-life-threatening injuries and will be charged in the fatality.
Police confirmed that Ruggs remained at the crash site, showing “signs of impairment.”
The crash occurred just before 3:40 a.m. and involved a Chevrolet Corvette and a Toyota Rav4, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
Police also confirmed that evidence at the crash site indicated that the Corvette rear-ended the Toyota, the newspaper reported.
Police said one person, identified by The Associated Press as a woman, was found dead inside the Toyota, and the Clark County coroner’s office will release the victim’s identity after relatives have been notified.
“We are devastated by the loss of life and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim’s family,” the Raiders said late Tuesday morning in a prepared statement. “We are in the process of gathering information and will have no further comment at this time.”
As of late Tuesday morning, Ruggs remained hospitalized with survivable injuries. An unidentified female passenger in his vehicle was also hospitalized following the crash, but her condition was not immediately known, ESPN reported.
Ruggs retained attorneys David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld soon after the crash, who released the following statement: “On behalf of our client Henry Ruggs III we are conducting our own investigation as of this writing and ask everyone to reserve judgment until all the facts are gathered.”
Ruggs, the Raiders’ first-round draft pick in 2020 out of Alabama and No. 12 overall, has had 24 catches for 469 yards and two touchdowns during the 2021 season. His 19.5 yards-per-catch average is second in the NFL among pass-catchers with at least 20 receptions, the sports news network reported.
If convicted, Ruggs would face two to 20 years in prison.
See the complete Raiders statement below.
— The Associated Press contributed to this report.
