Las Vegas judge makes surprising call in ex-Raiders WR Henry Ruggs' DUI car crash hearing

Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs recently appeared in court for a hearing regarding the car crash that caused the death of 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog in November 2021.

The former Raiders wideout has been charged with several felonies, including driving under the influence (DUI) resulting in reckless driving and death. A police report noted that Ruggs turned down the chance to take a field sobriety test on the site of the car crash. His blood-alcohol reading was 0.16%, twice the legal limit in the state of Nevada.

The judge presiding over the case on Tuesday ruled that blood-alcohol tests would be permitted as evidence.

Justice of the Peace Ann Zimmerman said the motion to suppress blood-alcohol tests was denied because there was sufficient evidence for probable cause in the case.

“There’s obvious time constraints in applying for a search warrant for a blood draw.”

She added:

“Under the totality of the circumstances, there is more than sufficient evidence for a finding of probable cause for the issuance of the search warrant in this case. Nobody has mentioned so far that Mr. Ruggs was seriously injured in this accident and transported to the hospital, so he would have been unable to submit to field sobriety tests. Coupled with his refusal to answer questions, this does not result in a reward. Motion to suppress is denied.”

David Chesnoff, the lawyer representing Ruggs, argued there was no probable cause for the tests, which were taken about two hours after the crash. The receiver will have the right to appeal Zimmerman’s ruling.

What will happen to the former Las Vegas receiver?

Las Vegas Raiders Wide Receiver Henry Ruggs III Appears In Court Following Fatal DUI Crash.

Following the car accident, Ruggs was released from the hospital and from custody on a $150,000 bond. He was let go by the Raiders in the middle of his sophomore season in November last year. Additionally, he was placed on house arrest with alcohol and location electronic tracking devices.

The former University of Alabama player will have his preliminary hearing on September 7, when he'll find out if he’ll stand trial in Nevada state court. The hearing has been moved several times already, with the latest delay coming last month.

If the 23-year-old is convicted, he’ll face a minimum of two years and a maximum of 50 years in prison for his crimes.

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If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Mike Florio, ESPN, and H/T Sportskeeda.