Valentina Astalos and Sanja Jagrovic mourn Friday, Nov. 5, 2021, during a vigil for Tina Tintor, a 23-year-old killed in a car crash involving former Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs. Astalos, Jagrovic and Tintor, all from Serbia, grew up together.
Friday, Nov. 5, 2021 | 11:05 p.m.
When Mary Vogl initially heard the news of a fiery DUI crash in Las Vegas killing a young woman and her dog, she immediately thought of the “poor family that lost their girl.”
The following day, her manager at Target delivered the horrific news. That girl was her colleague, 23-year-old Tina Tintor.
“I just broke down,” Vogl said. “I’m very emotional anyway, but it just makes you feel sad. I mean, she was only 23 years. Didn’t even live half her life. And now it’s taken away senselessly.”
Dozens of people gathered Friday evening near the crash site at Rainbow Boulevard and Spring Valley Parkway to honor of Tintor and her 3-year-old golden retriever, Max, who were killed in the early Tuesday wreck involving then-Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III.
The intersection’s southwest corner was decorated with candles, balloons, flowers and stuffed animals. Those paying their respects said it was important to remember Tintor: a funny, caring and witty soul who was always willing to help out.
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“She was an amazing woman,” said Patrick LaFleur, one of Tintor’s coworkers at Target. “She was just starting out in the career that she wanted. We saw her grow, working with her.
“It’s just a really sad event for us, seeing someone so young go. We’re all going to dearly miss her.”
The vigil started at 7:30 p.m., but many had gathered more than a half-hour before to embrace each other. Upon seeing Tintor’s memorial, many immediately got emotional and found it hard to hold back tears.
“Every time I look back and think about her, I just see her smile and I miss the times we would laugh,” said Ryder Hankins, another former coworker. “Over eight-hour shifts we would laugh and it would really feel like nothing because she was there.
“I haven’t worked at Target for about a year and a half, and when I found out two days ago I just dropped everything. I couldn’t do anything else. I just had to be here, so it just shows how close we were. Still are.”
Ronnie Marquez, who also worked with Tintor, said she’ll always remember the advice Tintor gave her before Tintor left the store in March 2020 to pursue a career in computer programming: that it’s never too late to give up on your dreams.
“Just go for it,” Marquez said. “If there’s something that you want, go for it.”
Prosecutors say Ruggs was traveling 156 mph seconds before his 2020 Chevrolet Corvette rear-ended Tintor’s Rav4, pinning her inside and causing the fuel tank to catch fire. Officers responded to the crash at 3:41 a.m. and Tintor was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Ruggs and his girlfriend, Kiara Je’nai Kilgo-Washington, 22, both sustained injuries in the crash and were transported to University Medical Center. Ruggs was released into police custody Tuesday afternoon where he was arrested for DUI and reckless driving, and prosecutors on Friday filed additional DUI and reckless driving charges, as well as possession of a gun while under the influence.
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said after Ruggs’ bail hearing Tuesday that prosecutors were exploring the additional charges on account of the injuries sustained to Washington. A loaded handgun was found in the driver’s side floorboard of Ruggs’ Corvette, according to his arrest report.
But as much as some may focus on the narrative surrounding Ruggs, Vogl said, it’s important to celebrate Tintor’s life and those she had an impact on.
“She was very caring and with COVID and stuff like that, a lot of people lost their job, so she was always helping her parents,” Vogl said. “That’s what family does. Including our work family. They help each other. So she was really caring about making sure they were taken care of.
“And that’s why it hurts so bad. Because a good-hearted person like that is just taken so senselessly. It doesn’t make sense.”
