Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III will remain in prison after Nevada officials denied his first bid for parole on Thursday. The decision keeps the 27-year-old behind bars nearly five years after a high-speed, drunken driving crash in Las Vegas that took the life of 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog.

Ruggs is currently serving a three-to-10-year sentence after pleading guilty in May 2023 to DUI resulting in death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. With this latest decision from the Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners, he won't be eligible for release again until Aug. 24, 2027, though he could get another hearing in front of the board next May.

His defense team, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, released a statement saying they were disappointed with the outcome, but emphasized that Ruggs still carries deep grief for what the Tintor family is going through. During his parole hearing back in May, Chesnoff asked the board to treat Ruggs like anyone else, noting that sometimes a high-profile defendant makes the process even more difficult. Ruggs also spoke directly to the board, saying he takes full responsibility and prays for Tintor’s family every day.

The details of the November 2021 crash are devastating. Prosecutors stated Ruggs was driving his Chevrolet Corvette Stingray at 156 mph with a blood alcohol level that was double Nevada’s legal limit. He slammed into the back of Tintor’s Toyota RAV4, causing the vehicle to catch fire.

While serving his time, Ruggs has focused on self-improvement and advocacy. He finished his bachelor's degree from the University of Alabama last year and has been speaking to youth and fellow inmates about the dangers of drinking and driving.

The tragedy has left a lasting scar on everyone involved. Eric Bauman, the former Clark County chief deputy district attorney who prosecuted Ruggs, admitted that the horrific nature of this case actually led him to retire earlier this year. Bauman said he was thankful for the board's choice, noting it brings the family one step closer to justice. Down in Tuscaloosa, the football program at Alabama continues to use the situation as a tough, real-world lesson for current players about how fast everything can change when you make the wrong choice.