Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith was reportedly absent from Wednesday’s team practice so he could attend the hearing of former Alabama teammate, Henry Ruggs III.
Ruggs was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison for his role in a DUI crash that killed a Las Vegas woman and her dog in 2021.
Smith, who played three seasons with Ruggs at Alabama, was excused from practice to attend the sentencing hearing in Nevada, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Wide receivers DeVonta Smith, #6, and Henry Ruggs III, #11 of the Alabama Crimson Tide, celebrate scoring a touchdown in the second quarter during the game against Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on Oct. 12, 2019 in College Station, Texas. (Logan Riely/Getty Images)
Smith previously addressed the fatal crash in 2021 following a game against the Los Angeles Chargers. He told reporters at the time that his heart “breaks for everyone involved,” including the victim, 23-year-old Tina Tintor, and her family.
EX-NFL STAR HENRY RUGGS III SENTENCED IN DEADLY DRUNKEN DRIVING INCIDENT
“It was hard at the beginning, but just coming in every day, being with the guys, they kind of gathered with me, helped me out a lot. So, I mean, at the beginning of the week it was tough, but eventually, the guys helped me get through it.”
Smith played four seasons at Alabama before being drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Ruggs, who was cut by the Las Vegas Raiders following the accident, played three seasons with the Crimson Tide before being drafted 12th overall by the Raiders just the year before.
Wide receiver DeVonta Smith, #6 of the Alabama Crimson Tide, celebrates with wide receiver Henry Ruggs III, #11 of the Alabama Crimson Tide, after a touchdown against Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field on Oct. 12, 2019 in College Station, Texas. (Logan Riely/Getty Images)
Ruggs was sentenced Wednesday to three to 10 years in prison after agreeing to a plea deal in May for his role in the fatal crash. The former football player was driving drunk and at speeds of up to 156 mph when he crashed his sports car into the back of Tintor’s car.
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“I sincerely apologize,” Ruggs said before the court. “I have no excuses,” he added, citing pain the case has caused his family, teammates and Tintor’s family.
Tintor’s mother, Mirjana Komazec, also read a statement in court alongside other family members.
Former Las Vegas Raiders player Henry Ruggs appears in court at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas on Wednesday, May 10, 2023. (K.M. Cannon/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
“We pray that Henry Ruggs is blessed with the opportunity to be able watch his beautiful daughter grow into the amazing woman she can be,” her statement read in part. “And we pray that this terrible accident inspires positive change in the world. We pray that we all take away the importance of looking out for one another, remembering everyone we meet is another human’s loved one.”
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As part of a plea agreement, Ruggs pleaded guilty in May to one count of DUI resulting in death as well as one count of misdemeanor manslaughter. He could be up for parole in three years.
Fox News’ Ryan Gaydos and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
