Ex-Raiders WR Henry Ruggs III's Fatal DUI Case Won't Change Courts

Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, who is facing three charges connected to a fatal DUI car crash in November 2021, won't have his case moved to a new court.

According to Katelyn Newberg of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Harmony Letizia ruled Monday she doesn't have jurisdiction to move the case back to Justice of the Peace Joe Bonaventure's courtroom.

Newberg noted on Feb. 21 that Bonaventure recused himself from the case because he spoke publicly about it while running for re-election last year.

"I was running for re-election during 2022 and I had several conversations about this case, and I made public statements about this case in various endorsement interviews and throughout my campaign for re-election last year," Bonaventure said.

Ruggs' defense attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, filed a motion asking Letizia to undo Bonaventure's ruling.

According to the Associated Press, Chesnoff and Schonfeld said Monday they intend to take their argument to the Clark County District Court.

According to Newberg, Ruggs is facing charges of facing charges of DUI, reckless driving and possession of a firearm while under the influence in connection with a crash that resulted in the death of 23-year-old Tina Tintor.

If Letizia won't undo Bonaventure's ruling to recuse himself, Ruggs' attorneys want him to offer a more detailed explanation of why he can't oversee the case.

In court documents filed in January, Ruggs' attorneys alleged he was being "singled out" by Justice of the Peace Ann Zimmerman, who was appointed to the case after Bonaventure recused himself, compared to other defendants charged with DUI.

Bonaventure presided over Ruggs' first court appearance in November 2021 following the crash. He ordered Ruggs to be held on $150,000 bail and the highest level of electronic monitoring if the 24-year-old was released from custody.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Eric Bauman said at the time Ruggs was traveling at approximately 156 miles per hour moments before the crash. State prosecutors, who said Ruggs' blood-alcohol level was twice the legal limit at 0.16 at the time of the crash, sought $1 million bail.

"I cannot recall a speed that high in my career on the bench," Bonaventure said upon setting Ruggs' bail amount.

Ruggs was released from police custody after posting $150,000 bail.

Drafted No. 12 overall by the Raiders in 2020, Ruggs appeared in 20 games over two seasons. He was released by the team on Nov. 2, 2021 after details of the crash became public.

Ruggs is currently scheduled for a preliminary hearing on May 4.