Ex-Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs’s felony DUI case is delayed over a judge dispute

A Nevada judge will again be asked to decide which justice of the peace should handle a preliminary hearing in the case against former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, who is accused of killing a woman in drunken car crash in 2021.

Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Harmony Letizia told Ruggs and his attorneys on Monday that she lacks the authority to decide whether she or another judge should preside over the hearing to decide if there is enough evidence to warrant that Ruggs stand trial on charges of reckless driving and driving under the influence causing death.

Ruggs´ attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, said they will again take the issue to Clark County District Court, where a judge in January said the case should be assigned to the Las Vegas DUI specialty court docket.

But the judge handling those cases recused himself because he said he talked about Ruggs´ case during his 2022 reelection campaign.

Prosecutors plan to present evidence that Ruggs had a blood-alcohol level twice the legal limit and that his Chevrolet Corvette was speeding at 156 mph (251 kph) before the fiery crash that killed a 23-year-old woman and her dog.

Ex-Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III’s case has been delayed by a judge issue

Ruggs, pictured in court Monday, is accused of killing a woman in drunken car crash in 2021

Tina Tintor, 23, of Las Vegas, ‘died from thermal injuries due to a motor vehicle collision on November 2,’ in 2021 according to a statement from Clark County Coroner Melanie Rouse. 

Ruggs is accused of causing the pre-dawn crash by driving drunk at speeds up to 156 mph (251 kph) with his girlfriend in his Corvette sports car before it slammed into the rear of Tintor’s Toyota Rav4 on a residential street where the speed limit is 45 mph (72 kph). 

The Raiders quickly released the former first-round draft pick, who was in his second season with the team.

He had earned more than $11 million over two NFL seasons, according to Spotrac.com. As a rookie, he signed a four-year, fully guaranteed $16 million deal.

Ruggs was briefly hospitalized in the crash and his girlfriend suffered substantial injuries, according to reports. The first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft was released from police custody on $150,000 bond and has remained on electronic GPS and alcohol monitors ever since. 

He is on house arrest and could face up to 50 years in prison if he’s convicted.

It was not immediately clear Monday whether a case assignment will be made before a preliminary hearing currently scheduled for May 4.

Tina Tintor, 23,’died from thermal injuries due to a motor vehicle collision’ in November 2021

Ruggs (left) and his girlfriend, Kiara Je’nai Kilgo-Washington (right), were injured in the wreck

The wide receiver was released by the Las Vegas Raiders less than 24 hours after his arrest

Prior to his involvement in the fatal accident, Ruggs was supposed to be an exciting long-term prospect for the Raiders.

He was the 12th overall draft pick in the 2020 NFL draft after playing three years at Alabama, where he had 12 receptions for 229 yards and six touchdowns as freshman when the Crimson Tide won the NCAA championship in 2017.

After being drafted by the Las Vegas Raiders, Ruggs had 26 catches for 452 yards and two touchdowns in his first professional football season. 

At the start of this year’s season, he was starting to slowly emerge as a star, with 24 catches for a team-high 469 yards and two touchdowns.