Henry Ruggs III risks return to jail with missed alcohol test while on house arrest

Jason Owens

A missed alcohol test prompted Las Vegas Judge Suzan Baucum on Wednesday to order Henry Ruggs III to appear in court next week.

The former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver is on house arrest as he awaits a preliminary hearing on two felony charges of driving under the influence causing death or serious injury, two felony charges of reckless driving and a misdemeanor weapon charge.

Police say that Ruggs was driving his Corvette 156 mph early on Nov. 2 on a residential Las Vegas street while under the influence of alcohol before colliding into another car, rupturing the gas tank and killing driver Tina Tintor and her dog. According to police, Ruggs' blood alcohol content was 0.16% on the night of the crash, twice the legal limit in Nevada. They also say they found a loaded handgun in the wreckage of his car.

FILE - Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III makes an initial appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court in Las Vegas, Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021. A Las Vegas judge told attorneys for Henry Ruggs III on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2021, to get their own subpoena for fire department records about the fatal crash and fire the ex-Raiders wide receiver is accused of causing by driving drunk at speeds up to 156 mph. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP, Pool, File)
Henry Ruggs is required to undergo alcohol testing four times a day as part of his house arrest agreement. (Steve Marcus/Las Vegas Sun via AP, Pool, File) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Ruggs is subject to four-times-a-day alcohol testing

Ruggs, 22, was released on $150,000 bail to house arrest, but could be ordered back to jail as a result of his missed test. He's been ordered to abstain from alcohol as part of his bail agreement. Baucum ordered Ruggs to reappear in court next Monday because of the missed test.

Ruggs is under electronic monitoring and faces alcohol testing four times a day as part of his bail agreement. The Associated Press cited court records showing that Ruggs missed a test at 4:41 p.m. Saturday. The records show that he took "a client initiated remote breath test” at 6:28 p.m the same day, but that the testing agency can't confirm his sobriety at the time of the missed test.

Ruggs' attorney David Chesnoff blamed the missed test on a problem with testing equipment. "It doesn't matter," Baucum responded while ordering Ruggs to appear.

The charges of driving under the influence causing death or serious injury carry up to 20 years in prison each. Ruggs, a first-round draft pick by the Raiders in 2020, was in his second NFL season at the time of the crash.

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