Raiders release player following deadly vehicle accident

The Las Vegas Raiders released wide receiver Henry Ruggs III Tuesday after he was involved in a fatal car crash early that morning.

“The Las Vegas Raiders have released WR Henry Ruggs III,” the team said late Tuesday night on its official Twitter account.

The Las Vegas Raiders have released WR Henry Ruggs III.

— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) November 3, 2021

Earlier in the day, the Raiders issued a statement saying that they were aware of the situation and sending their condolences to the victim’s family. 

Ruggs was escorted to jail Tuesday, according to an ESPN report. He appeared in court Wednesday.

According to court records, Ruggs has been charged with multiple felonies for driving under the influence of alcohol resulting in death and reckless driving.

Authorities said that Ruggs was driving on a busy road in a residential area miles from the Las Vegas Strip early Tuesday morning when he crashed his Chevrolet Corvette into a Toyota Rav4 from the rear at high speed, according to ESPN. The Las Vegas Police Department (LVPD) said that the Toyota’s driver and her dog both died in the collision.

In a separate article, ESPN reported that prosecutors said Ruggs was driving 156 mph just seconds before the crash and was still traveling at speeds of 127 when his airbags deployed.

Ruggs and his girlfriend Kiara Je’nai Kilgo-Washington, the passenger in his car, were treated at a hospital for “serious” but apparently non-life-threatening injuries, according to LVPD.

LVPD also said Ruggs  “showed signs of impairment” at the scene, ESPN reported. His blood alcohol level was measured at 0.161 percent, which is twice the legal limit in Nevada, according to prosecutors.

Ruggs, a first-round pick by the Raiders in the 2020 NFL Draft, could face two to 20 years in prison if convicted on the DUI charge. 

His reckless driving charge could carry an additional penalty of one to six years in prison with probation available, ESPN reported.

Prosecutors also said they had found a loaded gun on the floor of Ruggs’s car and might file a firearms charge against him, according to ESPN.

Attorneys David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, who are representing Ruggs, asked that people “reserve judgment until all the facts are gathered.” They say they are looking into the incident on Ruggs’s behalf.

Ruggs’s bail was set at $150,000, under conditions including home confinement and electronic monitoring.

— Updated at 1:41 p.m.