Truck driver drank tequila before crash that killed college athlete, AL officials say
A 22-year-old college athlete was tragically killed when a truck driver slammed into his vehicle during a series of wrecks along an Alabama interstate, according to a lawsuit.
The driver, 31-year-old John Walter McAdams, who has been charged with murder, told state troopers he drank a 'water bottle' of tequila and had a scoop of powdered Kratom — an illegal drug in Alabama — hours before the crashes May 6 in Limestone County, according to court documents.
Now, a wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against McAdams and South Paw Transport LLC, the company responsible for the tractor-trailer which is based in Phil Campbell, Alabama.
The lawsuit claims McAdams was distracted, under the influence of alcohol and impaired during the time of the collision that killed William Hardrick, a college athlete who played football at Austin Peay State University in Tennessee. It also accuses South Paw Transport of negligently 'hiring, training and supervising' McAdams.
'The intent behind the wrongful death lawsuit is to make sure Mr. McAdams and his trucking company are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,' Samuel Ford, an attorney representing Hardrick's estate, told McClatchy News. Ford said they are in the process of learning whether McAdams worked for a company or was self-employed.
McClatchy News reached out to South Paw Transport on May 15 but did not immediately receive a response.
A judge denied McAdams' bond in a May 14 hearing, according to court documents.
Limestone County is about a 30-mile drive west from Huntsville.
Driver accused of multiple crashes
For 27-miles, McAdams barreled southbound on I-65, according to court documents. He is accused of causing eight crashes, including the one that killed Hardrick, WBRC reported.
According to Ford, Hardrick was on his way home from school in order to get a Real-ID to be able to travel with his team.
Because of the impact, Hardrick was forced off the road, hitting a fence and a guardrail before overturning, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said in a May 15 statement shared with McClatchy News. He died at the scene.
McAdams then continued down the highway, eventually pulling over thinking he had a flat tire, according to court documents.
When state troopers reached him, they said he smelled like alcohol and showed signs of impairment during a roadside sobriety test, including being 'unsteady on his feet,' according to court documents, which also said he failed a breathalyzer test.
'He didn't seem to have any clue that he had crashed into multiple vehicles over a period of several miles,' Limestone County District Judge Gray West said in court documents, adding that McAdams' cabin was on fire, but he didn't seem to notice that either.
Ron Russell, who witnessed one of the crashes, told WAFF he pulled over and started recording after almost being hit by McAdams.
In a video taken by Russell, the tractor-trailer is shown speeding and driving into the shoulder of the road before crashing into a white SUV and continuing.
'He needs to reap what he sowed,' Russell told the outlet. 'He got behind the wheel, he killed someone, he's going to have to pay the price for what he did.'
Community mourns 'phenomenal' student athlete
Hardrick's parents — who had been divorced and estranged for years — came together in the moments after hearing the devastating news about their beloved son, Ford told McClatchy News.
'When (Hardrick's mom) found out what had happened to her son, she was just in complete, utter disbelief and actually still is,' he said.
Ford said Hardrick had aspirations of playing in the National Football League.
'He was a phenomenal student athlete,' he said. 'Unfortunately, these dreams were destroyed by someone who decided to be reckless and careless.'
In a May 7 statement, Gerald Harrison, university vice president and director of athletics, said Hardrick was new to the football program and the school.
'We will do everything we can to support his friends, family, and teammates at this time,' Harrison said.
Hardrick's football coach, Jeff Faris, called him an 'exceptional young man' in the statement.
'He made everyone around him better and has made a real impact both on and off the field,' Faris said. 'We lift up the Hardrick family in prayer as we grieve this tragic loss with them.'
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