'Drunk $16m Raiders star Henry Ruggs III, 22, was traveling at 156mph in his Corvette with his girlfriend before ploughing into SUV and killing woman, 23, and her dog': Wears neck brace to court as team dumps him
- Henry Ruggs III's blood-alcohol level was twice Nevada 's legal limit and he was traveling at 156mph in the moments leading up to Tuesday's fatal crash, per cops
- Ruggs's mugshot was released Wednesday, showing the now-former Las Vegas Raiders receiver with a neck brace and a cut across his nose
- The Raiders released Ruggs hours before his first court appearance on felony charges of driving under the influence resulting in death and reckless driving
- Cops said Ruggs was driving his Corvette at 156mph before colliding with the victim's Toyota RAV4 at 127mph at 3:40am on Tuesday in Las Vegas
- The Toyota burst into flames and the driver and her dog died. She was not immediately identified. Ruggs and his passenger suffered unspecified injuries
- The former University of Alabama star appeared to be impaired and refused a field sobriety test before being transferred to the hospital, according to police
- A gun was also found in the 22-year-old Ruggs's Corvette, according to police
- Probation is not an option in Nevada for a conviction on a charge of DUI causing death, which carries a possible sentence of two to 20 years in state prison
- Ruggs signed a four-year, $16million deal with the Raiders after being taken in the first round of April's NFL Draft. The deal included a $9.6million signing bonus
- The judge rejected prosecutors' request for $1 million bail and set bail, at at $150,000 with strict conditions, including home confinement and monitoring
Henry Ruggs III's blood-alcohol level was twice Nevada's legal limit and he was traveling at 156mph in the moments leading up to the car crash that killed another driver and injured the NFL star's girlfriend, according to police.
Ruggs's mugshot was released Wednesday, showing the now-former Las Vegas Raiders receiver with a neck brace and a cut across his nose.
The Raiders dropped Ruggs just hours before his first court appearance on felony charges of driving under the influence of alcohol resulting in death and reckless driving.
Appearing with his attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, Ruggs was not asked to enter a plea to the charges, pending the formal filing by Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson.
Prosecutor Eric Bauman said at Wednesday's hearing that Ruggs was driving his Corvette at 156mph before colliding with the victim's Toyota RAV4 at 127mph at 3:40am on Tuesday in Las Vegas. The Toyota burst into flames, killing the driver and her dog. The victim was not immediately identified.
Corvettes can reach speeds of 190mph or more, depending on the model.
Judge Joe M. Bonaventure said he could not recall a speed as high as 156mph involved in a crash case since he became a judge. Nevertheless, the judge rejected Bauman's request for $1 million bail and set bail, at Chesnoff's request, at $150,000 with strict conditions, including home confinement, electronic monitoring, no alcohol, no driving and surrender of Ruggs' passport.
Police reported that Ruggs's blood-alcohol level was 0.161 - more than twice the legal limit in the state - and they impounded a handgun that was allegedly found on the driver-side floorboard of the Corvette.
Ruggs, 22, signed a four-year, $16 million deal with the Raiders after being taken with the 12th-overall pick of last April's NFL Draft. The contract included a $9.6 million signing bonus, but it's unclear how much pay he will be keeping after being cut by the team on Wednesday.
Henry Ruggs III's blood-alcohol level was twice Nevada 's legal limit and he was traveling at 156mph in the moments leading up to the car crash that left another driver dead and injured his passenger, according to police. Ruggs's mugshot was released Wednesday, showing the now-former Las Vegas Raiders receiver with a neck brace and a cut across his nose
Now-former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III makes an initial appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court in Las Vegas on Wednesday acing charges relating to a fiery crash
Probation is not an option in Nevada for a conviction on a charge of DUI causing death, which carries a possible sentence of two to 20 years in state prison. The possible sentence for reckless driving is one to six years in prison, with probation available
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III is taken out of the courtroom in a wheelchair after making an initial appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court
Cops said Ruggs was driving his Corvette at 156mph before colliding with the victim's Toyota RAV4 at 127mph at 3:40am on Tuesday in Las Vegas. The Toyota burst into flames and the driver and her dog died. The woman was not immediately identified
A Chevrolet Corvette owned by now-former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III is shown on a flatbed truck after a fatal crash on South Rainbow Boulevard between Tropicana Avenue and Flamingo Road in Las Vegas Tuesday
The former University of Alabama star appeared to be impaired and refused a field sobriety test before being transferred to the hospital, according to police.
Injuries to Ruggs and his passenger, girlfriend Rudy Washington, have not been specified publicly, but he was wearing his neck brace to Wednesday's hearing, where he appeared in a wheelchair.
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Ruggs owns a $1.1 million home not far from where the crash occurred, according to property records.
Probation is not an option in Nevada for a conviction on a charge of DUI causing death, which carries a possible sentence of two to 20 years in state prison. The possible sentence for reckless driving is one to six years in prison, with probation available.
Ruggs' attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said they are investigating the crash on behalf of their client 'and ask everyone to reserve judgment until all the facts are gathered.'
Chesnoff declined additional comment after Ruggs was released from University Medical Center and booked into the Clark County Detention Center.
Henry Ruggs III and his girlfriend Kiara Washington (right) are pictured outside an NHL game
Social media photos of Kiara Kilgo-Washington, known as Rudy Washington
Ruggs pictured with Washington when he attended the University of Alabama
The Raiders didn't wait for the courts to act, sending out a brief statement Tuesday night announcing Ruggs' release. The Raiders had issued a statement earlier in the day saying the team was aware of the crash, 'devastated by the loss of life,' and 'in the process of gathering information.'
NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy issued a statement saying, 'Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the victim of this horrific tragedy. We will continue to gather facts and monitor the matter under our policies, but our thoughts at this time are with those impacted by this devastating incident.'
Ruggs was supposed to be a cornerstone for the Raiders. He was picked 12th overall in the 2020 draft after a productive three-year career at Alabama, including helping the Crimson Tide win the NCAA championship as a freshman in 2017.
Attorneys Richard Schonfeld (L) and David Chesnoff, who are representing former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, speak to members of the media after Ruggs made his initial appearance on multiple felony DUI and reckless driving charges in Las Vegas
Las Vegas Metro Police investigators work at the scene of Tuesday's fatal crash
Ruggs was one of the fastest receivers in the game and was following a long line of speedster wideouts on the Raiders following players like Art Powell, Warren Wells and Cliff Branch.
After an unimpressive rookie season, Ruggs was emerging as a star this season with 24 catches for a team-high 469 yards and two touchdowns. As a rookie in 2020, he had 26 catches for 452 yards and two touchdowns.
The crash occurred three weeks after Jon Gruden abruptly resigned as Raiders coach over emails he sent before being hired by the team in 2018. Gruden stepped down after The New York Times reported that the emails had racist, homophobic and misogynistic comments.
The AFC West-leading Raiders (5-2) have won two in a row under interim coach Rich Bisaccia and now return to the field this week without their leading receiver in yardage. They'll visit the New York Giants (2-6) on Sunday.
Ruggs's Corvette is seen after the fiery car crash that left a 23-year-old woman dead
