Former Las Vegas Raiders star Henry Ruggs was driving at 156 mph seconds before deadly crash, police say
Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was driving at 156 miles per hour seconds before the crash that killed a 23-year-old woman, according to a police report obtained by CBS News. The 22-year-old was released from the team hours after police said he would face a felony driving under the influence charge.
The crash occurred at approximately 3:39 a.m. on Tuesday morning after Ruggs veered into the right lane and struck the back of a Toyota RAV4, according to the report from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. The RAV4 caught on fire with the driver and her dog trapped inside, police said. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. The police report identified the victim as 23-year-old Tina Tintor.
An analysis of airbag data showed Ruggs was moving at 156 miles per hour in the seconds before the crash, and at 127 miles per hour when his airbags deployed, police said.
"I would note that in my 24+ years of prosecuting vehicular crimes, that is the highest speed I have ever heard of in an incident like this," Eric Bauman, chief deputy district attorney for Clark County, Nevada, said when Ruggs appeared in court on Wednesday morning.
The police report said Ruggs refused a sobriety test at the scene but was tested at the hospital, and prosecutors said he was "argumentative and uncooperative" with police and medical workers on the scene. The test results appeared to be redacted from the report, but prosecutors said his blood-alcohol level was .161, more than double the state's legal limit.
Ruggs was booked in absentia while at the hospital for DUI resulting in death and reckless driving resulting in death, police said. Prosecutors said Wednesday that they also expect to charge Ruggs with DUI causing substantial bodily harm over the injuries sustained by the passenger in his car, who was identified in the police report as Kiara Je'nai Kilgo-Washington. They said he had a loaded firearm in the driver's side floorboard, which was illegal given his blood alcohol level.
Ruggs' attorneys asked the public on Tuesday to "reserve judgment until all the facts are gathered." In court on Wednesday, attorney David Chesnoff described him as "a young man who has never been in trouble before," citing his "impeccable" background and charity work.
The Las Vegas Raiders released Ruggs from the team late Tuesday and expressed condolences to the family of the victim. "We are devastated by the loss of life and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim's family," the team said in a statement.
Ruggs' bail was set at $150,000. He was ordered to stay away from alcohol and other controlled substances, was prohibited from driving and is subject to the highest level of electronic monitoring.
Justin Bey contributed reporting.