Just over a week ago, Henry Ruggs was the Raiders’ star wide receiver on his way to a Pro Bowl season. A horrific crash and subsequent charges – the most serious being a DUI resulting in death – have left Ruggs without a career and possibly behind bars for a long time.
According to a TMZ report on Wednesday, Ruggs is now facing charges that could add up to more than 50 years in jail.
It can happen sometimes that high-profile charges end up with minimal punishment (expensive lawyers are expensive for a reason), but Ruggs has a lot going against him. The details surrounding his accident are particularly unsettling when you consider the speed he was allegedly driving and the victim’s presumed cause of death. The videos of the victim’s burning car certainly won’t help his cause, either. If anything, prosecutors may be inclined to make an example of Ruggs to deter others from making a similar mistake.
For what it’s worth, the CBS television broadcast on Sunday reported that several former Raiders’ teammates have attempted to reach out to Ruggs “to no avail.”
One player that has been able to reach Ruggs is his former Alabama teammate, DeVonta Smith.
“I talked to him,” Smith said on Sunday. “We discussed everything. He’s in good spirits. I mean I’m just glad that he’s himself. He’s gotten his self together and he’s not just down on himself.”
To this point in the process, Ruggs has been charged with four felonies and one misdemeanor. The chances of him serving anywhere near 50 years in prison are probably slim, but his chances of playing football in his prime seem pretty slim, too.
A GoFundMe page has been set up by the family of Tina Tintor, who was killed in last week’s crash. The page has already received over $100,000 in donations after setting an initial goal of $7,000.
twitter: @raidersbeat
Well Derek Carr loves him.So maybe he can go visit him in prison,and share a little love.He lost Gruden so now more bj’s from him Carr really is’nt married,and does”nt really have kids its all a cover up
Dude needs to do some serious time for what he has done. 20 years is nothing.
If someone took 20 years from you would it still be nothing?
He deserves to be punished. That woman’s family will never see or hold her again. That being said put him on house arrest for the next 10 years let him stay playing in the NFL and his checks can go to her family until he is taken off house arrest. He is punished, 10 years of house arrest is no joke. At least half of every check he earns, will never bring her back, should help the family get along in her absence. Pay for therapy and their home while they try to adjust to this new life. He is a young man who made the worst possible decision. Don’t make him rot in prison where he can’t do anything. Make his talent help pay restitution to the family he robbed of their loved one.