Malcolm Henry
The details surrounding Henry Ruggs and the accident that left one woman dead and another still in the hospital are being release. None of them are good.
Ruggs was driving 156mph just before the wreck, breaking down to 127mph right before impact. He was also tested at a .161 BAC, more than twice the legal limit in Nevada, according to TMZ reports.
The website reported that at his court appearance Ruggs appeared with a gash on his face and wearing a neck brace, before being forced to answer charges that he caused the fatal car wreck in Las Vegas.
Official reports obtained by TMZ indicated that both Ruggs’ car and the Toyota he hit rolled over 500 feet after the initial impact before the Rav4 caught on fire.
In addition to the 23-year-old woman who had died, reports indicate that she also had a dog in the car, which also died.
Initial details were that the officers said Ruggs appeared to be impaired at the scene, refused to participate in field sobriety tests, and then he was transported to the hospital.
Ruggs was booked just after 2 p.m. on Tuesday and officially charged with DUI Resulting in Substantial Bodily Harm and reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm — both felony charges, according to Clark County public records.
OutKick.com reported that Las Vegas attorneys David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld released a statement indicating they would be representing the Raiders wide receiver.
“On behalf of our client Henry Ruggs III, we are conducting our own investigation as of this writing and ask everyone to reserve judgment until all the facts are gathered,” the attorneys said in a joint statement released to the press.
An NFL spokesperson also released a statement on the situation, per NFL Networks’ Tom Pelissero.
“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.”
Pelissero reported that under the league’s personal conduct policy, Ruggs could land on the commissioner’s exempt list once he’s formally charged with a felony. The Raiders did not opt for that outcome, simply releasing him.
