Henry Ruggs’ sentencing is attended by DeVonta Smith, who skipped Eagles follow to help his pal in vehicular manslaughter trial

Philadelphia Eagles large receiver DeVonta Smith was excused from follow with the intention to attend the sentencing of his former faculty teammate and good pal Henry Ruggs III.

Ruggs was sentenced to no less than three years in a Nevada jail for killing a lady whereas driving his sports activities automotive drunk at speeds as much as 156mph on a metropolis road almost two years in the past.

Smith and Ruggs performed for 3 seasons collectively at Alabama and have become very shut – with Smith calling his former Las Vegas Raiders counterpart his ‘brother from one other mom’. 

On the time of the crash in November of 2021, Smith stated, ‘My coronary heart breaks for everyone concerned, the household of the younger girl that misplaced her life.’

‘I sincerely apologize,’ the previous first-round NFL draft decide stated as he stood for sentencing in Las Vegas after pleading responsible in Might to felony DUI inflicting demise and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, a cost carrying a six-month jail sentence that will likely be folded in along with his three-to-10-year jail time period.

DeVonta Smith (R) skipped follow with the Philadelphia Eagles to attend the sentencing of his good pal and former Alabama Crimson Tide teammate Henry Ruggs III in Las Vegas

Smith (6) and Ruggs (11) performed many seasons at ‘Bama and received a nationwide title collectively

Ruggs has been sentenced to no less than three years in jail for DUI and vehicular manslaughter

Ruggs, now 24, was reduce by the Raiders whereas he was nonetheless hospitalized following the predawn crash on Nov. 2, 2021. 

The collision killed Tina Tintor and her canine, Max, and injured Ruggs’ passenger, Kiara Je’nai Kilgo-Washington, his fiancee and mom of their daughter.

‘I’ve no excuses,’ Ruggs stated, citing ache the case has brought about his household, teammates and Tintor’s household. Ruggs stated that after jail, he intends to counsel others ‘concerning the risks of driving at unsafe pace and driving and ingesting.’

In an announcement learn in courtroom by Tintor’s cousin, David Strbac, Tintor’s mom, Mirjana Komazec, supplied grief, grace and recollections of ‘what it was wish to hug and embrace her, realizing we’ll by no means be capable of kiss her on her brow or inform her how a lot we love her and the way completely pleased with her we’re.’

‘We pray that Henry Ruggs is blessed with the chance to find a way watch his lovely daughter develop into the wonderful lady she could be,’ Komazec’s assertion stated.

‘And we pray that this horrible accident conjures up optimistic change on the planet. We pray that all of us take away the significance of searching for each other, remembering everybody we meet is one other human´s cherished one.’

Kilgo-Washington and a gaggle of mates and supporters watched as Ruggs, carrying a darkish go well with, white shirt and blue tie, was handcuffed by a courtroom officer when Clark County District Court docket Decide Jennifer Schwartz learn the sentence. 

Ruggs was then led away. Ruggs had remained free on home arrest since shortly after the crash.

Ruggs was driving his sports activities automotive drunk on metropolis streets at speeds as much as 156 mph

Ruggs’ actions led to the demise of 23 yr outdated Tina Tintor in November of 2021

In courtroom filings forward of the sentencing, Ruggs’ attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, included letters from highschool directors and academics in Montgomery, Alabama, who praised Ruggs, and a testimonial from Democratic Alabama state Rep. Phillip Ensler.

‘Mr. Ruggs is a person of excellent character who made a horrible mistake,’ the attorneys stated within the presentencing memorandum. ‘His regret is deep and honest.’

His plea deal prevented a trial that Clark County District Legal professional Steve Wolfson stated posed obstacles for conviction as a result of Ruggs was not administered a discipline sobriety check following the crash and his protection attorneys argued that Ruggs’ blood-alcohol check was improperly obtained on the hospital.

Wolfson, a Democrat, stated the blood check offered ‘nearly’ the one proof that Ruggs was drunk on the time of the crash. 

It revealed that Ruggs had a blood-alcohol degree of 0.16% – twice the authorized restrict in Nevada – after the rear-end wreck ignited a hearth in Tintor’s Toyota Rav 4.

Kilgo-Washington additionally was injured in Ruggs’ demolished 2020 Chevrolet Corvette. Prosecutors stated Ruggs suffered a leg damage, and Kilgo-Washington acquired an arm damage. Kilgo-Washington was not cooperative with prosecutors as a sufferer within the case.

Wolfson had stated Ruggs would face a compulsory minimal of two years in jail if convicted and will get greater than 50 years. 

Ruggs was a large receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders on the time of the accident

The district legal professional stated investigators discovered that Ruggs spent a number of hours ingesting with mates at a sports activities leisure web site and {golfing} venue, and will have been at a pal´s residence for a number of extra hours earlier than he and Kilgo-Washington headed residence.

Tintor was a Serbian immigrant who family and friends members stated graduated from a Las Vegas highschool, labored at a Goal retailer, needed to turn into a pc programmer and was near acquiring her U.S. citizenship. The household assertion known as Max her greatest pal.

‘The sentence is not going to deliver Tina again,’ Farhan Naqvi, an legal professional who represented Tintor’s household, stated exterior the courtroom. 

‘What we’re hoping for, greater than something, is that different deaths could be prevented from driving below the affect and reckless driving. It ruins lives. It destroys households.’