Reports: Former Alabama WR Henry Ruggs III to Plead Guilty in Las Vegas DUI Case

The former Crimson Tide wideout is accused of driving drunk and causing a crash that killed a Las Vegas woman and her dog in November 2021.

Austin Hannon | May 2, 2023

Former Alabama Crimson Tide and Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III will plead guilty in his DUI case, multiple reports stated Tuesday.

Ruggs is accused of driving drunk at approximately 156 MPH on the night of Nov. 2, 2021 — when he collided with the vehicle in front of him. The high-speed crash killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog Max after the vehicle caught fire — burning both of them to death.

A blood test around two hours after the crash showed that Ruggs was driving twice the legal limit in Nevada — a 0.161 BAC.

Ruggs unconditionally waived his right to a preliminary hearing and will plead guilty to one count of DUI resulting in death and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.

According to a plea agreement presented Tuesday, Ruggs will serve three to 10 years in the Nevada state prison. His next court date is May 10, when he is expected to formally plead guilty.

"Our thoughts and prayers certainly go out to all involved in this tragic situation — especially the victims," Alabama head coach Nick Saban said on Nov. 3, 2021. "I think this is something a lot of folks can learn from. When we say challenge people to make good decisions, do the right thing. Because sometimes the consequences can be devastating. These consequences are probably going to 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."

If convicted, Ruggs could face anywhere from two to 50 years in prison.

Austin Hannon joined the BamaCentral team in December 2022. He graduated from The University of Alabama with a degree in sports media and brings a ton of journalism experience. Hannon is the former sports editor of The Crimson White, the University's school newspaper. Hannon's coverage focuses primarily on Alabama football, men's basketball and baseball. Contact: cahannon01@gmail.com

See Also: