After an early a.m. automobile accident that left one person dead and he and a passenger injured, Las Vegas Raiders star Henry Ruggs III has to appear in court and could face some serious time. He was transported to an area hospital and later discharged before being taken to a Las Vegas prison ahead of his first court appearance. He faces numerous felony counts, including driving under the influence.
The 22-year-old NFL wide receiver and a female riding with him were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after Ruggs’ Corvette plowed into the back of a Toyota Rav4 while driving down a roadway in a residential neighborhood sometime before 4:00 a.m. The other vehicle caught fire, killing the driver and a dog. The victim was female and her identity has not been revealed.
According to multiple reports, police said Ruggs was visibly impaired during the time of the accident. He is now facing felony counts of driving under the influence of alcohol that resulted in death, alongside reckless driving.
In Nevada, if you are convicted of causing a death by a DUI, you could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison. In the state, this same conviction doesn’t allow for simple probation. As for reckless driving, this carries a punishment of anywhere from one all the way up to six years behind bars, though probation is an option.
Ruggs’ legal team have released a statement saying they are looking into the accident on Ruggs’ behalf and ask the public to hold their “judgement” until the facts in the case are uncovered.
When asked to further comment, his legal team has declined, following his release from the hospital and booking into a Las Vegas jail.
The Las Vegas Raiders know about the tragic accident and say they are “devastated” over the death of the woman involved. They are currently looking into the incident, and as of press time, the NFL team decided to release the wide receiver from the roster.
For NFL players hit with felony charges, the league is allowed to put them on the commissioner’s exempt list, which allows them to retain their salaries, but they cannot participate in practices or games until the matter is being resolved.
Ruggs is in his second season as a pro after being selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He had a great college career at Alabama where he helped lead the Crimson Tide to the NCAA title during his 2017 rookie campaign.
As a pro, Ruggs has recorded 24 receptions with 469 yards this season, a team best, along with two touchdowns. In his 2020 rookie year, he put up 26 receptions for 452 yards with two TDS as well.
Known for his quickness, Ruggs was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. At Alabama, he caught 12 passes in 2017 and scored six touchdowns. One of those TDs was a throw from Tua Tagovailoa in the championship win over Georgia.
For the Raiders, the accident adds to the controversy this season. Despite putting up a top record of 5-2, the incident comes just three weeks after Raiders coach Jon Gruden unexpectedly quit over emails he wrote before he was brought aboard the organization in 2018. After The New York Times revealed that the emails, which included racist and homophobic remarks, Gruden resigned.
The Raiders lead the AFC West currently and are on a 2-game winning streak with interim coach Rich Bisaccia at the helm. However, they will be without Ruggs on Sunday when they face off against the 2-6 New York Giants.
Car accidents are serious business. Even if you take all the precautions necessary to be a great driver, they can still happen. Bad car accidents can lead to legal trouble. Make sure you have legal representation for NYC car crash injury lawyers if you have been involved in an accident, because you never know if you are about to get hit with a claim, even if you are following all the rules.
