NFL
Ruggs’ blood-alcohol stage was 0.16 % the day he killed a lady, a canine, and injured one other particular person whereas driving.
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Former Las Vegas Raiders participant Henry Ruggs was sentenced Wednesday to a minimum of three years in a Nevada jail for killing a lady in a fiery crash whereas driving his sports activities automobile drunk at speeds as much as 156 mph on a metropolis avenue practically two years in the past.
“I sincerely apologize,” the previous first-round NFL draft decide stated as he stood for sentencing in Las Vegas after pleading responsible in Could to felony DUI inflicting dying and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, a cost carrying a six-month jail sentence that will likely be folded in along with his three-to-10-year jail time period.
Ruggs, now 24, was minimize by the Raiders whereas he was nonetheless hospitalized following the predawn crash on Nov. 2, 2021. The collision killed Tina Tintor and her canine, Max, and injured Ruggs’ passenger, Kiara Je’nai Kilgo-Washington, his fiancee and mom of their daughter.
“I’ve no excuses,” Ruggs stated, citing ache the case has brought on his household, teammates and Tintor’s household. Ruggs stated that after jail, he intends to counsel others “concerning the risks of driving at unsafe pace and driving and consuming.”
In an announcement learn in court docket by Tintor’s cousin, David Strbac, Tintor’s mom, Mirjana Komazec, supplied grief, grace and recollections of “what it was wish to hug and embrace her, realizing we’ll by no means be capable to kiss her on her brow or inform her how a lot we love her and the way completely happy with her we’re.”
“We pray that Henry Ruggs is blessed with the chance to have the option watch his lovely daughter develop into the superb girl she could be,” Komazec’s assertion stated. “And we pray that this horrible accident conjures up optimistic change on the planet. We pray that all of us take away the significance of searching for each other, remembering everybody we meet is one other human’s liked one.”
Kilgo-Washington and a gaggle of pals and supporters watched as Ruggs, carrying a darkish swimsuit, white shirt and blue tie, was handcuffed by a court docket officer when Clark County District Courtroom Decide Jennifer Schwartz learn the sentence. Ruggs was then led away. Ruggs had remained free on home arrest since shortly after the crash.
In court docket filings forward of the sentencing, Ruggs’ attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, included letters from highschool directors and lecturers in Montgomery, Alabama, who praised Ruggs, and a testimonial from Democratic Alabama state Rep. Phillip Ensler.
“Mr. Ruggs is a person of excellent character who made a horrible mistake,” the attorneys stated within the presentencing memorandum. “His regret is deep and honest.”
His plea deal prevented a trial that Clark County District Legal professional Steve Wolfson stated posed obstacles for conviction as a result of Ruggs was not administered a area sobriety check following the crash and his protection attorneys argued that Ruggs’ blood-alcohol check was improperly obtained on the hospital.
Wolfson, a Democrat, stated the blood check offered “nearly” the one proof that Ruggs was inebriated on the time of the crash. It revealed that Ruggs had a blood-alcohol stage of 0.16% — twice the authorized restrict in Nevada — after the rear-end wreck ignited a fireplace in Tintor’s Toyota Rav 4.
Kilgo-Washington additionally was injured in Ruggs’ demolished 2020 Chevrolet Corvette. Prosecutors stated Ruggs suffered a leg harm, and Kilgo-Washington obtained an arm harm. Kilgo-Washington was not cooperative with prosecutors as a sufferer within the case.
Wolfson had stated Ruggs would face a compulsory minimal of two years in jail if convicted and will get greater than 50 years. The district legal professional stated investigators realized that Ruggs spent a number of hours consuming with pals at a sports activities leisure website and {golfing} venue, and should have been at a buddy’s dwelling for a number of extra hours earlier than he and Kilgo-Washington headed dwelling.
Tintor was a Serbian immigrant who family and friends members stated graduated from a Las Vegas highschool, labored at a Goal retailer, needed to change into a pc programmer and was near acquiring her U.S. citizenship. The household assertion known as Max her finest buddy.
“The sentence isn’t going to convey Tina again,” Farhan Naqvi, an legal professional who represented Tintor’s household, stated outdoors the courtroom. “What we’re hoping for, greater than something, is that different deaths could be prevented from driving underneath the affect and reckless driving. It ruins lives. It destroys households.”
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