Henry Ruggs Booked In Fatal Crash, Facing 20 Yrs In Prison, Cut By Raiders
Henry Ruggs III Booked After Fatal Car Accident, Facing 20 Yrs In Prison ... Released By Raiders
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9:04 PM PT -- The Las Vegas Raiders just announced they have released 22-year-old wide receiver Henry Ruggs III.
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4:02 PM PT -- Police say the person who died in the crash was a 23-year-old woman. Cops added Ruggs' girlfriend, Kiara Washington, was a passenger in his Corvette and suffered "serious" injuries in the collision.
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Police also provided further detail on the accident ... claiming Ruggs was traveling at "a high rate of speed" before he veered into the right lane of a three-lane road and slammed into the back of the Toyota.
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Cops say the driver of the Toyota got trapped in her seat and was not able to escape the vehicle before flames engulfed it. She was pronounced dead at the scene, police added.
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3:02 PM PT -- Henry Ruggs has been booked in absentia (he's still in the hospital) on 2 felony charges ... DUI w/ serious bodily harm and Reckless Driving w/ death or serious bodily harm.
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If convicted, the DUI carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years. The reckless driving charge carries a 1-to-6 year prison term.
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Ruggs is due in court for his first appearance tomorrow morning.
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12:07 PM PT -- The NFL just released a statement on the Ruggs incident ... saying, "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the victim of this horrific tragedy."
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"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."
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11:44 AM PT -- We've just obtained images and video from the crash site taken just minutes after the collision. An eyewitness tells us the two men stopped at the scene and attempted to put out the blaze with a fire extinguisher, but it was too much for them to handle.
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The identity of the person sitting on the sidewalk to the right of the vehicle on fire is not currently known.
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Investigators are still on scene working to determine exactly how the crash happened.
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11:27 AM PT -- The Raiders have addressed the incident ... saying, "We are devastated by the loss of life and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim’s family."
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The team adds it is in the process of gathering more information.
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10:53 AM PT -- Cops tell us Ruggs was behind the wheel, driving his Chevrolet Corvette, when he crashed into a Toyota Rav4 around 3:39 AM. The Toyota caught on fire ... and first responders located a deceased person in the SUV.
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Ruggs was transported to a local hospital for treatment on non-life-threatening injuries.
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Cops tell us the NFL star showed "signs of impairment" at the scene ... and the 22-year-old will be charged with DUI resulting in death. If convicted on that charge, Ruggs could face up to 20 years in prison.
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10:40 AM PT -- A law enforcement source tells us at least one person involved in the crash has died.
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Ruggs' attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld tell TMZ Sports, "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."
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10:27 AM PT -- A source close to Ruggs tells us the NFL'er is expected to be OK. The condition of the other people involved in the crash is still unclear.
Raiders star wide receiver Henry Ruggs III -- the 12th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft -- was involved in a serious car accident in Las Vegas Tuesday morning.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ Sports ... 22-year-old Ruggs was in a wreck in the central Las Vegas Valley area around 3:40 AM.
No word on if cops believe alcohol or drugs played a factor in the accident. It's still unclear what Ruggs' condition is. There is a local report that says there was at least one fatality in the crash.
Prior to the crash, it appears Ruggs was at a local Top Golf location in Vegas, he posted video from the facility just before midnight.
Ruggs was a superstar for the Alabama Crimson Tide from 2017-19 ... winning a national championship in 2017. The Montgomery, AL native is having a breakout year for the Raiders ... with 24 receptions, 469 yards and 2 touchdowns.
Ruggs has previously spoken out about his inspiration to play football ... saying it was a childhood friend who encouraged him to try out. The friend tragically passed away at 17 years old, and the receiver has honored him with a salute after every touchdown.
We've reached out to Ruggs' camp and the Raiders for comment. So far, no word back.
Originally Published -- 10:09 AM PT
