LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. – A commercial truck driver who is charged with murder is also facing charges and accused of causing eight crashes spanning several miles during rush hour traffic on Interstate 65.
An Alabama uniform traffic crash report states that John McAdams admitted to state troopers to drinking an “unknown amount of tequila” before the crashes that spanned about 28 miles on the interstate, according to an Alabama news report from WBRC.
Authorities said the crashes occurred on May 6.
McAdams was charged with murder, driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident.
The truck driver is accused of killing William Hardrick, an Adamsville native who played football at Austin Peay State University.
Hardrick’s mother, Dionne Bryant, said he was driving home that day when the crash happened.
Alabama authorities said reports have been completed for four of the eight crashes. According to those reports, the first crash happened at 6:45 p.m. at mile post 362.
McAdams told investigators he pulled over his semitruck at the 365-mile marker to rest and drank tequila before napping.
“After waking up, he got back on the road but did not remember the specific details of when or why,” the investigating officer reported.
Shortly after pulling back onto the interstate, McAdams twice hit a driver in a sedan while driving 85 mph, according to a crash report. The driver was able to exit the interstate and was transported to a hospital.
McAdams then reportedly picked up speed before slamming into Hardrick’s car six miles after the first crash while driving about 90 mph, according to the report.
Troopers say that McAdams “aggressively struck” Hardrick’s vehicle, forcing him off the road before rolling several times.
Hardrick was reportedly partially ejected from the car and pronounced dead at the scene.
The next crash happened a few minutes later.
McAdams is accused of crashing into the back of an SUV at 90 mph and “partially overrode” the bumper. That driver was able to pull over on the side of the interstate.
The next crash reportedly happened at mile post 346. The victim told investigators he saw a semitruck in his rearview mirror and sped up to move into a different lane, but was still hit from behind and forced off the road.
According to the crash reports, McAdams continued to drive down I-65 southbound for 12 more miles before “he could no longer operate the vehicle and came to a controlled stop.”
McAdams agreed to field sobriety tests, which “revealed several clues of impairment,” troopers said.
Results of his breath alcohol test returned .09, above the legal limit, according to authorities.
This week, Hardrick’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against McAdams. Hardrick was 22 years old.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
