Eagles’ DeVonta Smith excused from practice to attend friend Henry Ruggs’ sentencing hearing

Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith was excused from practice Wednesday so that he could be in attendance for Henry Ruggs’ sentencing hearing in Las Vegas.

Ruggs, a former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver who grew close with Smith during their time as teammates at the University of Alabama, was sentenced to at least three years in prison for killing a woman in a crash in November 2021.

Last year, Ruggs pleaded guilty to felony DUI causing death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter. According to prosecutors, he drove 156 mph with a blood-alcohol level roughly twice the legal limit in Nevada. His Chevrolet Corvette struck the back of Tina Tintor’s Toyota RAV4, killing the 23-year-old and her dog in a fiery crash.

According to several media reports citing the sentencing memorandum filed by Ruggs’ attorneys, the 24-year-old has been suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and spent time at a mental treatment facility as a result.

Smith and Ruggs played together in Alabama for three seasons and became close friends during that time. Smith called Ruggs his “brother from another mother” before the two receivers’ teams played against each other a few weeks before the crash.

In the aftermath of the crash, Smith said he struggled processing the news and expressed his condolences to Tintor’s family.

“My heart breaks for everybody involved, the family of the young lady that lost her life,” Smith said in November 2021 after the Eagles played the Chargers. “It was rough at the beginning of the week. But just coming in every day, being with the guys, they helped me out a lot. It was tough, but eventually the guys helped me get through it. Everybody lifted me up. The whole team.”

In court Wednesday, Ruggs apologized to Tintor’s family and said, “My actions are not a true reflection of me.”

His attorney, David Chesnoff, said Ruggs is “truly remorseful” for his actions. “What Henry fully accepts is that his decision caused Ms. Tintor’s death.”

Ruggs initially faced charges of DUI resulting in death, DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm, two counts of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm, and possession of a firearm while under the influence. Some of the charges stemmed from injuries allegedly suffered by his girlfriend, Kiara Kilgo-Washington, who also goes by the name Rudy Washington.

Before District Judge Jennifer Schwartz handed down the sentence on Wednesday, Tintor’s cousin, Daniel Strbac, read a statement from Tintor’s mother, Mirjana Komazec.

“[Tintor] only saw the beauty and the life in every soul,” Strbac read from the statement, adding that “every parent’s worst nightmare is to create a beautiful child just to have them taken away at the hands of another’s negligence.” The statement described Tintor as a kind and selfless woman, who was known for rescuing stray animals “because she could not imagine leaving them in distress.”

Komazec wrote in the statement that her family hopes that Ruggs will be able to watch his own young daughter grow up.

“We pray that this terrible accident inspires positive change in the world,” Strbac said.

This article contains information from the Associated Press.