Published on: June 12, 2026, at 07:50h.
Updated on: June 12, 2026, at 07:50h.
- Henry Ruggs will serve at least one more year in prison
- Ruggs took the life of a woman and her dog in a DUI incident in 2021
- At the time of the incident, Ruggs was a member of the Las Vegas Raiders
A former NFL player from the Las Vegas Raiders has been denied parole nearly five years after tragically causing the death of a woman and her dog while driving intoxicated in his Corvette.
On Thursday, the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners ruled against granting parole for Henry Ruggs, who is currently 27 years old. After pleading guilty to charges of DUI resulting in death and vehicular manslaughter in May 2023, Ruggs received a prison sentence of three to ten years.
Initially, Ruggs was eligible for parole in August 2026; however, the board has now set his next eligibility for August 2027, three months prior to which he will have another hearing.
During his recent parole hearing, Ruggs reiterated his deep remorse for the tragic event.
“Not a day goes by that I don’t think of the pain I caused her family, her friends, and the Las Vegas community,” Ruggs stated in a transcript acquired by the Associated Press.
Ruggs’ Parole Denied
On November 2, 2021, Ruggs, a former first-round draft pick and wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders, struck 23-year-old Tina Tintor’s Toyota Rav4 while speeding at 127 mph around 3:39 AM. Tintor and her dog, Max, perished as the vehicle caught fire.
Investigators found that Ruggs was traveling at 156 mph prior to hitting the brakes, then collided with Tintor’s vehicle at 127 mph, well above the 45 mph speed limit.
A blood test taken within two hours post-accident revealed Ruggs had a blood-alcohol content of 0.16%, exceeding the legal driving limit of 0.08%. Before the crash, Ruggs and his girlfriend were seen indulging in drinks at Topgolf.
“Mr. Ruggs, along with our legal team, continues to share in the sorrow and loss experienced by Ms. Tintor’s family,” Ruggs’ lawyers, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, conveyed in a statement after the board’s decision.
Chesnoff and Schonfeld, prominent attorneys known for representing high-profile individuals in Las Vegas, expressed their disappointment regarding the board’s ruling.
Controversies Surrounding the Raiders
In Southern Nevada, there has been resistance to the Raiders’ presence. Critics argue that placing affluent young athletes in a city synonymous with indulgence and excess could lead to negative outcomes.
Unfortunately, those concerns have occasionally proven to be valid.
Shortly after the Ruggs incident, first-round cornerback Damon Arnette faced arrest for threatening others and brandishing firearms. The Raiders subsequently severed ties with Arnette in November 2021.
Ruggs is not alone in facing legal issues, as two other Raiders players have also faced DUI charges since the team’s relocation to Las Vegas.
In 2023, former safety Roderic Teamer was arrested for DUI and speeding, prompting the team to release him mere hours after his arrest.
The following year, defensive end Charles Snowden was found asleep at the wheel of his vehicle, which was precariously positioned off a four-foot retaining wall. Snowden’s impaired state led him to mistakenly believe he was in Florida.