Henry Ruggs III is released by the Raiders after he was involved in a Tuesday morning vehicle accident that resulted in the death of a woman. (1:06).
HENDERSON (Nev.) -- Wide receiver Henry Ruggs III was released by the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday night after he was involved in a car accident earlier in the day that resulted in the death of a woman.
Court records indicate that Ruggs is facing felony charges for driving under the influence alcohol resulting in death and reckless driver. Ruggs was taken from the hospital to jail on Tuesday, ahead of his initial court appearance on Wednesday.
Ruggs' Chevrolet Corvette, 22-year-old driver, was driving at high speed into the rear end of a Toyota Rav4 at a busy thoroughfare in a residential neighborhood several miles west of Las Vegas Strip. It happened at 3:39 a.m. local on Tuesday.
Ruggs, along with Kiara Je'nai Kilgo Washington, his passenger, sustained "serious" injuries, but police stated that they were not life-threatening. Police said that the Toyota exploded into flames, and both the driver and her dog perished.
Ruggs "showed symptoms of impairment," police stated in a statement, but did not identify the woman who had died.
According to Officer Larry Hadfield, a spokesperson for the department, disclosing medical information is against federal privacy laws.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson didn't immediately respond to messages regarding the charges.
The fatal collision involving Raiders WR Henry Ruggs was investigated by a member of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department on Tuesday morning. Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Nevada does not offer probation for DUI causing death. This charge carries a potential sentence of between two and 20 years in prison. With probation, the possible sentence for reckless driving could be anywhere from one to six years imprisonment.
Ruggs' lawyers, Richard Schonfeld and David Chesnoff, stated that they are investigating the accident on their client's behalf. They ask everyone to refrain from making judgments until all facts are known.
After Ruggs was released by University Medical Center, Chesnoff refused to comment further and booked into Clark County Detention Center.
Raiders offer car services to players who need them. They also have a player engagement program that warns players about such risks. The Raiders didn't wait for courts to act and sent out a short statement Tuesday night announcing Ruggs’ release. The Raiders had earlier issued a statement stating that they were aware of the crash and were "devastated" by the loss.
Brian McCarthy, the NFL's spokesperson, released a statement saying that "Our hearts go out for the victims of this terrible tragedy." We will continue to gather information and monitor the matter according to our policies, but our thoughts are with those who were affected by this tragic incident."
Raiders (5-2), who were on their bye week, reported back to team headquarters Monday. Tuesday was an off day. They were to start practicing Wednesday, just before Sunday's game against the New York Giants (2-6).
Ruggs, a 2020 Raiders draft pick out of Alabama at No. 12, was Ruggs' first-round selection. 12th overall. Team owner Mark Davis stated that Ruggs was the Raiders' first-round draft pick in 2020 from Alabama, No.
Ruggs had 24 receptions for 469 yards and two touchdowns. His 19.5 yards per catch average was second among pass-catchers who have at least 20 receptions.
Ruggs lost Rod Scott, a childhood friend in a 2016 car accident. Ruggs remembers Scott by showing three fingers. Scott wore No. 3 -- To the heavens after big plays.
This report was contributed by The Associated Press.
