Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III went to prison in August 2023 after killing a young woman in a car crash. Ruggs was driving 156 mph at the time of the fatal 2021 crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog Max. He had a blood alcohol content of 0.161, which is twice the legal limit.
Ruggs pleaded guilty to one count of felony DUI resulting in death and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, receiving a sentence of three to 10 years.
The former first-round pick appears to be using his time in prison productively. Ruggs “has graduated from the University of Alabama, completing his degree after being named to the President’s List with a 4.0 GPA during his final semester,” according to Jordan Schultz on X.
Henry Ruggs completes degree with University of Alabama
Earlier this year, Ruggs appeared at a Hope for Prisoners event. He was asked what he would say to the Tintor family. “One, I wish I could turn back the hands of time. I would love for them to meet the real Henry Ruggs and not the one that was escaping from something. I sincerely apologize. For not only being a part of that situation but the fact my face is always in the news… They have to constantly be reminded of the situation. Be reminded of me and those memories have to continue to arise.”
Ruggs was selected 12th overall in the 2020 draft out of Alabama. He had 50 receptions for 921 yards and four touchdowns in 20 games for Las Vegas. The Raiders released Ruggs immediately after the fatal crash.
Ruggs is training in prison for an NFL return, according to his former Alabama and Raiders teammate Josh Jacobs. He’s first eligible for parole in August 2026.
Last week Ruggs was transferred from a minimum-security facility in Las Vegas to a medium-security prison in Northern Nevada, per ProFootballTalk. It’s unclear what caused the change or if it will have any impact on his parole eligibility.
