Hours after Henry Ruggs III appeared in a Las Vegas courtroom facing felony charges stemming from a car crash that resulted in the death of a 23-year-old woman, Nick Saban commented on the recent tragic events surrounding his star receiver.

Ruggs is currently facing felony charges of driving under the influence of alcohol resulting in death and reckless driving after he was involved in a fatal car accident early Tuesday morning.

During a Wednesday court hearing, Prosecutor Eric Bauman told Judge Joe Bonaventure that a blood test taken within two hours of the accident showed Ruggs had a blood-alcohol level of 0.161 percent, twice the legal limit. Bauman also said airbag computer records showed Ruggs’ Chevrolet Corvette decelerated from 156 mph to 127 mph before it struck a Toyota Rav4.

“Our thoughts and prayers certainly go out to all involved in this tragic situation, especially the victims. Our thoughts and prayers are certainly with them,” Saban said Wednesday night. “But our thoughts and prayers are also with Henry, his family, and I think this is something that a lot of folks can learn from. I think a lot of players on our team, when we say challenge people to make good choices and decisions, do the right thing, because sometimes the consequences can be devastating, and these consequences are gonna probably be pretty devastating to Henry.

“We love him, we’re gonna support him through it. But we also have a lot of compassion for the victims, and our thoughts and prayers are also with them.”

According to Nevada law, DUI resulting in substantial bodily harm or death has a maximum punishment of 20 years while reckless driving has a punishment of six years.

Ruggs, 22, was the No. 12 overall pick in the 2020 draft. He was released by the Las Vegas Raiders Tuesday afternoon.