Judge denies bond for man facing murder, DUI charges in series of crashes on I-65
LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — A judge denied bond Wednesday for a man facing a murder charge in a deadly wreck that happened May 6 on Interstate 65.
Authorities say John Walter McAdams was driving drunk at a high speed and crashed into multiple vehicles over 27 miles on I-65 in Limestone County that day, causing property damage and injuries. One of the vehicles he crashed into was driven by William Hardrick, who died as a result of the incident.
RELATED: Reports shed new light on I-65 crashes that led to murder, other charges against truck driver
He is also charged with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident with injury and one count of driving under the influence.
McAdams appeared in court on Tuesday on those charges, and his attorneys argued he should be released on bond.
District Judge Gray West denied McAdams' bond on Wednesday, saying the weight of evidence against him and the potential punishment the murder charge carries make McAdams a flight risk.
A crash report obtained by News 19 detailed the wreck between the 18-wheeler that the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency says McAdams was driving and the Impala driven by Hardrick. ALEA said the wreck occurred near milepost 356 when McAdam's 18-wheeler hit the back of Hardrick's car.
Authorities said that after the impact, Hardrick's car left the roadway, struck a fence, a guardrail, and then overturned. Limestone County Coroner Mike West said the vehicle came to a rest on Piney Chapel Road.McAdams pulled over when he thought he had a flat tire, and court documents say he showed no indication that he knew he had crashed into multiple vehicles.
State Troopers said when they found McAdams, there was a noticeable odor of alcohol emanating from him, and he was unsteady on his feet. Court documents say he showed multiple clues of impairment on the roadside field sobriety test, and he did not seem to know that he had crashed into multiple vehicles or that his cab had caught fire.
Court documents show that McAdams told state troopers that several hours before the crashes, he drank a water bottle that was full of tequila and a scoop of powdered Kratom, which is an illegal substance in Alabama.
He was then taken to the Limestone County Jail, where he blew a .09 on the alcohol breath test, which is over the legal limit for intoxication in Alabama.
Since his bond has been denied, McAdams will remain in the Limestone County Jail. His case is headed to a grand jury because he waived his preliminary hearing.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Judge orders man committed to state mental hospital after threat to destroy fire station
HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — A Huntsville man charged with making threats against a Huntsville Fire Department station has been committed to the Alabama Department of Mental Health after a judge found his mental illness makes him a threat to himself or others. Madison County Circuit Judge Chris Comer said Friday that, based on two mental health evaluations of Craig Emerson and a subsequent hearing, Emerson is mentally ill and should remain in ADMH custody for treatment and therapy. State will seek death penalty against Huntsville man charged with killing 2 women in 2023 Emerson, 58, entered a plea of not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect to a charge of making terroristic threats. According to court documents, in 2021, Emerson threatened to blow up Huntsville Fire Station #5, prompting an investigation by local authorities. Due to concerns about his mental health, he was evaluated and subsequently committed to a state mental health facility for treatment in 2023. Records show he had mental health evaluations in February 2023 and November 2024. The court ordered that Emerson remain in the custody of the ADMH without being released unless authorized by the court. State court records show Emerson was previously arrested on multiple arson charges. In February 2013, he was charged with two counts of first-degree arson and one count of attempted arson after reportedly throwing Molotov cocktails into occupied homes in Huntsville. He pleaded guilty in 2015 to a count of first-degree attempted arson. Records show he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but that sentence was suspended to time served and five years probation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
ALEA warns of scam pretending to be the ‘Alabama DMV'
ALABAMA (WHNT) — The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency is warning Alabama residents of a text messaging scam claiming to be from the 'Alabama Department of Vehicles,' a department that does not exist. ALEA said the texts threaten to suspend a person's driver's privileges for 30 days and suspend their vehicle registration unless recipients click a malicious link or provide personal information. Early morning Shooting in Polyplex parking lot leaves man injured in Decatur Authorities pointed out that the Alabama Department of Vehicles does not exist, as Alabama does not operate a DMV. 'In Alabama, driver licensing services are administered by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's (ALEA) Driver License Division, and vehicle registration is handled by the Alabama Department of Revenue (ALDOR),' ALEA said. 'Additionally, license plate issuance is handledthrough local county probate offices.' Officials said ALEA and the Driver's License Division do not send unsolicited messages threatening prosecution or requesting personal information and payment. ALEA said any messages doing those things should be deleted immediately. ALDOR also said it does not contact taxpayers through text messages. The agency gave the following tips: What to Watch For: Text messages claiming to be from the 'Alabama DMV' Warnings about immediate license suspension or vehicle registration cancellation Links prompting users to enter personal or financial information What to Do: Do not click on links in suspicious text messages Do not provide any personal information Report phishing attempts to the Federal Trade Commission and/or the IC3 'Scammers are trying to create a false sense of urgency by threatening you and your drivingprivileges,' said ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor. 'We urge all Alabamians to be cautious andremember that our Agency will never contact you this way.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Yahoo
MCSO: Hartselle man accused of rape now facing child pornography charge
MORGAN COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) – A Hartselle man, who was charged in May with the rape of a minor, is now facing additional charges related to inappropriate messages sent to children. Benjamin Preston Bolan, 27, is now charged with possession of child pornography with the intent to distribute. On May 13, the sheriff's office Investigators and the Morgan County Fugitive Unit carried out a search warrant at an apartment complex on Mitwede Street in Hartselle. MCSO said the warrant was for a man wanted for rape involving a victim under the age of 15. However, MCSO said on Friday that investigators got search warrants for Bolan's Snapchat and cell phone back in April. They said that they found several hundred sexually explicit pictures, videos and chats with children, whose ages range from five to 15. The sheriff's office said Bolan, who was already in jail from his May arrest, now has a combined bond of $800,000. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
