Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III is seeking release from prison as early as this August. The 27-year-old was sentenced to three-to-ten years in prison in August 2023 after pleading guilty to driving under the influence and vehicular manslaughter. However, he could be released this summer when he becomes eligible for parole on August 5.
Ruggs, who killed Tina Tintor and her dog while driving at 156 mph, has initiated the process to seek his release, according to AL.com. He reportedly made his first appearance in front of the Nevada Board of Parole earlier this week via Zoom from the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City. He is said to have petitioned the Board of Parole to grant him 'the privilege of parole so I can prove myself to everyone.'
'Not a minute goes by where I don't think of the pain I caused her family, her friends and the Las Vegas community,' Ruggs said in video obtained by News 3 LV. 'I'm a religious person and pray for her family daily.' The board reportedly plans to make its decision on Ruggs' parole by June 14.
Ruggs was a standout at Alabama, recording 1,716 yards and 24 touchdowns on 98 receptions over three years in Tuscaloosa before declaring for the 2020 NFL Draft. After impressing with the Crimson Tide, Ruggs was drafted by the Raiders in the first round. However, his stint in Las Vegas lasted only one year, ending abruptly in November 2021.
Ruggs was behind the wheel under the influence when he was involved in the fatal car crash that killed 23-year-old Tintor and her dog. He was allegedly driving at 156 mph seconds before the accident and slammed into Tintor's car at 127 mph. A coroner later revealed that Tintor and her dog burned to death. The speed limit in the area was 45 mph, and Ruggs had a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit when he crashed at around 3:30 a.m., according to police.
Ruggs, who had faced up to 50 years in prison, ultimately pleaded guilty to one count of driving under the influence of alcohol resulting in death and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. He was cut by the Raiders following the pre-dawn crash as he recovered in a Las Vegas-area hospital. Ruggs and his fiancée were also injured in the collision.
Ruggs is currently being held at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center, a medium-security prison in Carson City. He was relocated there last year after previously being held at Casa Grande Transitional Center.
