Summary:
- Former Las Vegas Raider Henry Ruggs has been sentenced to three to 10 years for a high-speed drunk driving crash that occurred in November 2021.
- Ruggs expressed remorse for his actions in the fiery crash that killed a young woman and her dog.
- The complicated legal proceedings included potential suppression of blood alcohol evidence due to Ruggs' injuries.
- The victims' family received a DUI felony plea bargain, leading to hopes for positive change.
- Despite the twists and turns in the case, Ruggs' sentencing took only 11 minutes.
- Ruggs remains at the Clark County Detention Center, awaiting further processing of the case.
You are looking at the last moments of freedom for former Las Vegas Raider Henry Ruggs for his role in a fiery crash that killed a young woman and her dog. A Clark County judge sentenced Ruggs to three to 10 years for a high speed drunk driving crash back in November of 2021.
Thanks for joining us here at 11 o'clock. I'm Denise Faldes and I'm Brian Loftis. 8 News Now investigator Kyle Payne was in that Pat courtroom for the sentencing and is here now live to break down Ruggs' sentence and how we got here.
Denise Brian, we all knew before we got to court today that the judge was going to sentence Ruggs to three to 10 years, and she did just that after almost two years of court battles and so much more. To the parents and family of Miss Tinto, I sincerely apologize for the pain and suffering my actions. Henry Ruggs, sitting near his family, while awaiting Judge Jennifer Schwartz's sentence. Just inches away, the family of 23-year-old Tina Tintor with his high-profile lawyer David Chesnoff by his side.
We heard from Ruggs for the first time since the crash. You're right. Ruggs was blind drunk and flying at over 150 miles an hour when he crashed into Tintor's car near the intersection of Rainbow and Spring Valley Parkway. The impact burned not only the car but Tintor and her dog to death. "I am the judge. I have no excuse in accepting responsibility in my guilty plea can allow me to begin the process. This is an agonizing case," Ruggs stated.
David 8 News Now investigator David Charnes' exclusive interview with Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson back in May shed some light on the complications in the Henry Ruggs case. Ruggs, seen here at his first court appearance, was too injured to take field sobriety tests and that perhaps helped Ruggs avoid more damage. "I'm not sure if you can see the blood test. We believe that there was a strong likelihood that the blood alcohol evidence would be suppressed. And without that blood test and evidence, we don't have a felony DUI charge," said the D.A.
The victims' family got a DUI felony plea bargain. Maybe not the penalty they wanted, but it leaves the victims' family hopeful. "We pray that Henry Ruggs is blessed with the opportunity to get a new life. And we pray that this terrible accident inspires positive change in the world." The entire Ruggs case played out online and on television every step of the way. And now, after all that time and the twists and turns the case took over almost two years.
Today's sentencing only took 11 minutes. Denise Kyle thanks for that. And as of now, Ruggs is still at the Clark County Detention Center and we don't know exactly how long it will take to get the case. But we believe that the case was given three days' credit for a time that already been served in jail, but will not get any credit for the time he spent on house arrest and electronic monitoring.
Denise Kyle thanks for that. And as of now, Ruggs is still at the Clark County Detention Center and we don't know exactly how long it will take to process the case. He was given three days' credit for the time that has already been served in jail, but he will not receive any credit for the time he spent on house arrest and electronic monitoring.