Fire Department 911 calls of Henry Ruggs crash released
As first responders headed to the site of a deadly wreck involving then-Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs, 911 calls show that dispatchers were receiving conflicting information about a Toyota RAV4 that had burst into flames.
“It doesn’t appear that anybody is inside the car that’s on fire,” a Metropolitan Police Department dispatcher initially relayed to a dispatcher for the Clark County Fire Department.
Investigators later would learn that Tina Tintor, a 23-year-old woman who had called Las Vegas home since she was a baby, died inside the RAV4 alongside her dog, Max. The pet was in the back seat of the SUV.
In a follow-up call, the same police dispatcher provided the following update: “Hey, it’s Metro. For the accident on Rainbow and Spring Valley, the vehicle that’s on fire, my person believes there might be somebody inside the vehicle.”
A firefighter also chimed in: “Just want to make sure that you guys copy that there might be someone still inside the vehicle that’s on fire.”
Those exchanges were among roughly 10 minutes of the Fire Department’s 911 calls from the morning of the Nov. 2 crash obtained Tuesday by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Metro denied an identical request from the newspaper for its 911 calls.
The newly released audio offers a glimpse into a chaotic scene with evolving information as first responders were dispatched to the crash, which occurred in a residential area several miles west of the Las Vegas Strip. The audio does not include any calls from witnesses.
At one point, according to the records, officials believed that two people had been killed in the crash.
In a call with a fire chief, a dispatcher said: “They have two fatalities at Rainbow Boulevard and Spring Valley Parkway. It was a traffic accident. One vehicle caught fire.”
“Two 419s in one vehicle,” the dispatcher continued, referring to the Las Vegas police code for “dead body.”
As rescue efforts continued at the intersection, the 911 recordings indicate, first responders were unaware that a Raiders player had been involved. Neither the team nor Ruggs was mentioned by name in the calls released Tuesday.
Officials also misidentified the football player’s crumpled Corvette.
“It was a Lamborghini,” a police dispatcher said in one conversation.
“Oh my,” a Fire Department dispatcher responded.
Clark County prosecutors are expected to formally charge Ruggs at a Wednesday morning hearing with at least four felonies and a misdemeanor. He is accused of speeding up to 156 mph mere seconds before crashing into Tintor’s RAV4.
According to Las Vegas court records, he faces two felony counts each of DUI and reckless driving in connection with the death of Tintor and the injuries his front-seat passenger, longtime girlfriend Rudy Washington, suffered in the crash.
Prosecutors also intend to charge Ruggs with possession of a firearm while under the influence, the records show. Authorities have said a loaded weapon was found in his Chevrolet Corvette Stingray after the crash.
Ruggs faces up to 40 years behind bars if convicted of the DUI counts.
He has been out of custody — under house arrest in his $1.1 million home several miles west of the Strip — since posting bail last Wednesday. Under the conditions of his release, court records show, he is prohibited from driving and consuming alcohol or drugs and is required to undergo alcohol testing four times a day.
Shortly after the crash, the Raiders released Ruggs from the team.
Tintor, who was on her way home after taking her dog on a walk, was about 2 miles from home when she was killed.
Contact Rio Lacanlale at rlacanlale@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Follow @riolacanlale on Twitter.