Graney: Ruggs’ senseless action was a choice, not a mistake

I cognize it well. Heading to work. Returning from a game. South Rainbow Boulevard and Spring Valley Parkway.

The spot Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs killed idiosyncratic early Tuesday morning.

The archetypal happening I thought astir was speed. We’re not talking your emblematic straightaway with small accidental of encountering different drivers. Not adjacent astatine 3:40 a.m. Not successful our 24-hour town. There are ever others connected the road.

It. Is. A. Residential. Area.

Think astir that.

How accelerated Ruggs indispensable person been traveling successful his Chevrolet Corvette earlier plowing into the rear of a overmuch little almighty Toyota Rav4 — causing decease to the unfortunate wrong arsenic her car was engulfed successful flames— is disturbing enough.

There was reportedly a pistillate rider successful Ruggs’ car who, on with the shot player, was hospitalized astatine University Medical Center with survivable injuries. Yes. Even much beingness could person been lost.

That constabulary accidental Ruggs was impaired is irresponsible and inexcusable successful each conceivable mode should specified statements beryllium true. He is to expected to beryllium charged with DUI resulting successful death.

Never forget. Someone is dead.

Not astir football

So prime your cliche. Forget astir football. Or astir his aboriginal successful the game. Or astir however overmuch wealth helium volition apt ne'er see. Or astir however overmuch his lack volition wounded the Raiders.

Pick it and determination on. That’s each determination is to accidental astir what Ruggs does (did?) for a profession.

Not each athletes preach astir being relation models. That’s fine. Most do. But saying it and representing it are 2 wholly antithetic dynamics. So nary substance wherever Ruggs stands connected the subject, his actions alert successful the look of what a mentor to others should be.

Understand this: His was a prime and not a mistake. Ruggs is 22 and didn’t person a encephalon cramp that should excuse his recklessness.

Nothing drives maine crazier than erstwhile others usage the M connection erstwhile describing specified an atrocious incident. It’s not arsenic if Ruggs ran the incorrect way that led to an interception. Not arsenic if helium missed a artifact oregon took disconnected earlier the shot was snapped.

He chose to get down the instrumentality erstwhile reportedly impaired and thrust astatine a precocious capable complaint of velocity that idiosyncratic volition ne'er again spell location to her family.

I’ll ne'er recognize it. When you cognize that intoxicant oregon different substances mightiness beryllium progressive connected a peculiar nighttime out, wherefore not guarantee idiosyncratic does the driving?

That idiosyncratic you spot (and apt pay) is holding the keys?

A person said it champion Tuesday: The worst determination Ruggs made came not erstwhile impaired, but erstwhile sober. He could person easy secured harmless proscription to and from his destination.

This isn’t immoderate antithetic from different specified fatalities. There are inactive countless questions to beryllium answered. Initial constabulary investigations often alteration successful scope arsenic much and much grounds is collected. Things are hardly ever arsenic straightforward arsenic primitively viewed.

Senseless action, Part II

But they are a spot eerie close now. Ruggs has already retained high-profile attorneys David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, the aforesaid lawyers representing erstwhile UNLV hoops enlistee Zaon Collins against his own felony DUI charges successful which different was killed past Dec. 30.

So marque that senseless actions which outgo others their lives — Part II — for section athletes successful little than a year.

Here it is then: If convicted of specified charges, Ruggs could look two-to-20 years successful prison, incur thousands of dollars successful fines and person his driver’s licence suspended for 3 years.

And for precisely what, again?

Someone is dead.

What football?

Ed Graney is simply a Sigma Delta Chi Award victor for sports file penning and tin beryllium reached astatine egraney@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-4618. He tin beryllium heard connected “The Press Box,” ESPN Radio 100.9 FM and 1100 AM, from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m. Monday done Friday. Follow @edgraney connected Twitter.