During the early morning hours of November 2, it was reported that Las Vegas Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs III was involved in a car accident that left one dead.
According to a press release from the Las Vegas Metro Police Department, Ruggs was traveling at a high rate of speed when he piled his Chevrolet Corvette into the back of a Toyota Rav4. The LVMPD said that when emergency personnel responded to the accident, the Rav4 was engulfed in flames and that the car’s driver, later revealed to be a 23-year-old woman, had died.
Ruggs, who remained on the scene, reportedly showed signs of impairment and was reportedly charged with DUI resulting in death.
Both he and his girlfriend, who was riding in the passenger seat of the Corvette, were transported to the hospital to receive medical attention for serious injuries.
The Raiders, as well as the NFL, issued statements on the accident and offered their condolences to the family of the deceased.
“The Raiders are aware of an accident involving Henry Ruggs III that occured this morning in Las Vegas,” the Raiders said. “We are devastated by the loss of life and our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim’s family. We are in the process of gathering information and will have no further comment at this time.”
And early this morning, the Raiders released Ruggs III from their roster.
While it is unclear if Ruggs will face jail time for his involvement in this accident, it is very clear that he will be away from football for a substantial amount of time and, although there have been multiple examples of NFL players returning to the field after fatal car accidents, football is the last thing on anybody’s mind right now. A young woman is dead because of Ruggs’ decision to drive drunk and there will be consequences for his actions.
What do you think of the Raiders’ decision to release Henry Ruggs III? Let us know in the comments.