Truck driver admits to drinking ‘unknown amount of tequila’ before causing deadly crash, troopers say

LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WBRC/Gray News) - A commercial truck driver charged with murder is accused of causing eight crashes spanning miles during rush hour traffic on Interstate 65.

According to an Alabama uniform traffic crash report, John McAdams admitted to state troopers to drinking an “unknown amount of tequila” before the crashes that spanned about 28 miles on the interstate.

Authorities said the crashes occurred on May 6.

McAdams has since been 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 the 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 Athens Hospital.

McAdams then picked up speed before slamming into Hardrick’s car 6 miles after the first crash while driving about 90 mph, investigators said.

Troopers wrote that McAdams “aggressively struck” Hardrick’s vehicle, forcing him off the road into a ditch before rolling several times.

Hardrick was partially ejected from the car, according to the crash report. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The next crash happened a few minutes later and miles down the road.

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, based on available crash reports, 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.

It’s unclear how much time passed between McAdams’ admission of drinking tequila and his booking into the Limestone County Jail, but court records revealed the results of his breath alcohol test returning .09, above the legal limit.

This week, Hardrick’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against McAdams. Hardrick was 22 years old.