Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was denied parole Thursday, nearly five years after a drunken-driving crash that killed 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog in a fiery collision on a Las Vegas highway.
The Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners rejected Ruggs’ bid for early release at his first eligibility opportunity. Ruggs, 27, is serving a sentence of three to 10 years after pleading guilty in 2023 to felony DUI resulting in death and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.
Ruggs appeared before the board last month via video from Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City. He expressed remorse, saying he thinks about Tintor’s death every day and takes full responsibility for his actions.
“I’m a religious person and pray for her family daily,” Ruggs told the panel, according to reports from his May hearing. He asked the board to grant him “the privilege of parole so I can prove myself to everyone.”
The board’s decision keeps Ruggs incarcerated past his earliest possible release date of Aug. 5. He will next be eligible to appear before the parole board three months before his mandatory parole consideration date of Aug. 24, 2027, according to Kathi Baker, executive director of the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners.
Ruggs’ attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said in a statement that they were disappointed by the ruling.
“Mr. Ruggs, and our office, continue to feel the grief and loss suffered by Ms. Tintor’s family,” the statement read. “There is overwhelming evidence of Mr. Ruggs accepting responsibility for his conduct and engaging in community outreach efforts related to DUI prevention, including completing educational programs while in custody.”
The Nov. 2, 2021, crash occurred when Ruggs, driving a Chevrolet Corvette at speeds reaching 156 mph with a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit, rear-ended Tintor’s Toyota Rav4. The impact caused a fire that killed Tintor and her dog. Prosecutors said Ruggs’ passenger, his then-girlfriend, suffered serious injuries.
The Raiders released Ruggs hours after the incident. He was a 2020 first-round draft pick out of Alabama, selected 12th overall, and had shown promise in his early NFL career before the crash ended his professional football aspirations.
Ruggs had been housed in a minimum-security transitional facility before being moved to medium security last year due to unspecified rules violations. While incarcerated, he earned a 4.0 GPA completing his bachelor’s degree and participated in work programs, including time at the Nevada governor’s mansion.
The case has drawn significant attention, with ongoing debate about accountability, redemption and the consequences of impaired driving. Tintor’s family has largely remained private amid the proceedings.
Ruggs’ next parole review will come as he approaches the midpoint of his sentence range. Nevada parole guidelines had recommended consideration at his first or second opportunity, but the board ultimately voted against release.
