Truck driver in ‘27 miles of terror’ pleaded not guilty in court appearance

The truck driver indicted for a series of crashes dubbed the ‘27 miles of terror’ has pleaded not guilty in court this week. 

According to WAFF48, truck driver John McAdams appeared in Limestone, Alabama court on Wednesday, December 17th and pleaded not guilty to one charge of murder, six counts of leaving the scene of an accident, one charge of trafficking synthetic drugs, and one charge of combined DUI. 

The May incident took the life of 22-year-old William Hardick, and involved multiple vehicles along 27 miles of Interstate 65 in Alabama. Police describe McAdams as having consumed an “unknown amount of tequila” and then taking a nap before getting back on the road without remembering “the specific details of when or why.”

McAdams drove along I-65 causing multiple crashes until “he could no longer operate the vehicle and came to a controlled stop” after “27 miles of terror.” The following field sobriety test  “revealed several clues of impairment.”

McAdams’ next hearing is scheduled for March 25th, 2026.