A photography of Tina Tintor, 23, and her dog is placed at a makeshift memorial site to honor them at South Rainbow Boulevard and Spring Valley Parkway, on Thursday, Nov. 4, 2021, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye, AP)
Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs pleaded guilty to DUI resulting in death on Tuesday as part of a plea deal that will put him behind bars for three to 10 years.
Ruggs, 24, faced up to 50 years in prison in connection with the Nov. 2, 2021 crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor in Las Vegas. He will be formally sentenced on May 10.
Prosecutors did not immediately comment on the deal, in which Ruggs also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor manslaughter. In court, Ruggs said only “Yes, your honor” when asked if he understood the deal.
“This is the first step toward a fair resolution to this matter and we look forward to closure for all parties involved,” said Ruggs’ defense attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld.
Ruggs was driving 156 mph in his Chevrolet Corvette just seconds before the collision, according to vehicle data. The car was traveling 127 mph at the moment of impact. The speed limit on the street was 45 mph. Two hours after the crash, Ruggs’ blood-alcohol level was measured at 0.16%, twice the legal limit.
The crash sent Tintor’s Toyota RAV4 571 feet down the road and set it on fire. Tintor burned to death alongside her pet dog.
Ruggs suffered a leg injury in the crash. His girlfriend, Je’nai Kilgo-Washington, was riding in the passenger seat and eventually underwent surgery for an arm injury she sustained in the wreck.
Several charges will be dismissed as part of Ruggs’ plea deal, including felony reckless driving and driving under the influence causing severe injury. The second charge was connected to injuries suffered by Kilgo-Washington, who did not cooperate with prosecutors.
Following his arrest, Ruggs posted $150,000 bail and remained under house arrest for 18 months. He was also required to submit to alcohol monitoring.
The Raiders released Ruggs days after the crash, and he has been out of the NFL since.
With News Wire Services
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Originally published at Tribune News Service