Latest news with #Hardrick
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
2026 defensive end JR Hardrick commits to Clemson football, Dabo Swinney
CLEMSON — Clemson football and coach Dabo Swinney added their second defensive lineman in the 2026 recruiting class with the commitment of three-star JR Hardrick. The 6-foot-6, 231-pounder from South Pittsburg High in Tennessee is rated the No. 26 player in the state by the 247Sports Composite rankings. Hardrick chose Clemson over Virginia, Mississippi State and Louisville. He announced his commitment on X on June 5. Advertisement Hardrick helped South Pittsburgh to a 12-4 record last season. He joins three-star Kameron Cody as Clemson's two defensive lineman commitments. Hardrick is also the second player to commit to Clemson within the past two days, joining four-star offensive lineman Leo Delaney. Swinney's 2026 class is ranked No. 3 nationally, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, and it has 12 four-star recruits and five three-stars commits. It is a complete change from last year's cycle that finished with 15 signees and ranked 26th nationally, which was Swinney's lowest-rated cycle since 2010 and his smallest class since 2017. Hardrick is the first recruit from Tennessee in the 2026 class to commit to the Tigers. He is also the fifth defensive player to commit to Clemson. Derrian Carter covers Clemson athletics for The Greenville News and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at dcarter@ and follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DerrianCarter00 This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Clemson football: JR Hardrick commits to Dabo Swinney in 2026 class
Miami Herald
15-05-2025
- Miami Herald
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.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
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 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.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Yahoo
Reports shed new light on I-65 crashes that led to murder, other charges against truck driver
LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — News 19 has obtained crash reports from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency that shed new light on a deadly crash and multiple other wrecks that occurred on May 6 on I-65. On Tuesday, News 19 requested crash reports in Limestone County regarding John. W. McAdams. He is charged with murder, as well as two counts of leaving the scene of an accident with injury and one count of driving under the influence. ALEA said these charges stem from his role in multiple crashes on I-65. We received four reports detailing a series of wrecks on I-65, including one that led to the death of Austin Peay Football Player William Hardick. ALEA's reports redacted the names of the drivers involved in the wrecks. However, we were able to match the reports to details previously shared by the agency. One report details the wreck between the 18-wheeler that ALEA 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. The reports said the 18-wheeler had been involved in wrecks before and after the wreck with the Impala. McAdams reportedly told investigators that he stopped at the 365-mile marker to rest and drank tequila before taking a nap. McAdams also appeared in the Limestone County courthouse for a hearing on Tuesday. When he appeared in court on Tuesday, a trooper testified that he drank a water bottle full of tequila. 'After waking up, he got back on the road but did not remember the specific details of when or why,' the report said. 'Field Sobriety Tests were administered, revealing several clues of impairment.' The report said McAdams was given a breathalyzer test at the Limestone County Jail and got a result of .09. BAC. The first wreck detailed in the reports happened at mile marker 362, before McAdams hit Hardrick's vehicle. The report said the wreck happened when the McAdams' 18-wheeler hit a Nissan Sentra twice before the other car was able to exit the interstate. The wreck after the one that led to Hardick's death was at mile marker 353 and involved the 18-wheeler and a Lexus. The report said the 18-wheeler collided with the rear bumper of the Lexus and partially overrode it. The final wreck happened at milepost 346 near Huntsville Brownferry Road. The report said the wreck occurred when McAdams's 18-wheeler hit a Ford Bronco in the rear bumper while the Bronco was changing lanes. Tuesday marked McAdams first appearance in court following his arrest. His defense team waived his preliminary hearing, but the court also considered his request for bond. His attorneys argued he should be released on bond, but a judge has not yet ruled on that matter. The case is headed to a grand jury. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Calgary Herald
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Calgary Herald
Davis: CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders happy to get their Yoshi back ... from what, exactly?
Jermarcus 'Yoshi' Hardrick is one of those magical, talented athletes who is beloved by teammates, fans and maybe mostly by the media. Article content Article content Turn on your recorder and he's a quote machine, instantly worthy of a story or a column. An all-star offensive lineman, Hardrick is an emotional and candid spokesperson, an 11-year CFL veteran approaching his second season with the Saskatchewan Roughriders, whose first season ended because of a quad injury during his new team's fifth game of 2024. Article content Article content Article content There are so many things that could happen to an athlete's quadriceps: Bruises, strains and tears. Only a severe tear requires several months to heal a quadriceps, the large front-of-thigh muscles that flex human knees and hips. Article content Hardrick can be easily forgiven if he doesn't want to describe the devastating injury. It was the first major injury of his lengthy, interesting career. He was more eager to discuss the path back. Article content On the opening day of Roughriders training camp in Saskatoon, Hardrick reflected on his gruelling rehabilitation and told three reporters how his wife initially had to help him get out of bed and go to the toilet, how his children motivated him to get back into playing shape, how much time he spent at a pal's gym, how he watched inspiring videos about Kobe Bryant and Kyrie Irving recovering from injuries, how he got support by calling friends and teammates and how he was so excited about rejoining his buddies on the practice field that he couldn't sleep the night before camp opened. Article content Article content 'Very emotional,' said Hardrick. 'Very emotional. I dreamed about this for the last 10 months.' Article content Article content How retirement never entered his mind. Article content 'No, never thought about it,' said Hardrick. 'Don't wanna think about it. Until J.O. (Riders general manager Jeremy O'Day) tells me not to show up, or someone in the league tells me not to show up, I'm gonna keep showing up.' Article content Nobody can question his devotion. Hardrick grew up with 16 siblings in a small Mississippi town, where he got his nickname from hanging out with his older brother Mario. Yoshi is a sidekick of the main character in Super Mario video games. Article content 'It didn't seem like this day would come,' said Hardrick. 'January, February, it was a little rough. Finally took the brace off, started running a little bit, had to re-learn how to walk and squat. Article content 'It was more mental than physical. But just to be out here man, it's amazing! I'll do this anytime. It's lovely to get interviewed again.' Article content After playing collegiately at Fort Scott Community College in Kansas and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Hardrick tried out for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints before sandwiching two Arena Football League seasons around a 12-game CFL stint with the B.C. Lions in 2014.
