Severn man to serve 15 years for drunken SUV rampage
Four people Wednesday described agonizing injuries, paralyzing terror, financial burden and time lost with loved ones — all from the same random attack one night last summer.
That night, alcohol, mental illness and a large vehicle all played a role as three people were struck by a Jeep Cherokee in Hanover. Two others retreated into their car as the Jeep slammed into them twice.
Investigators say Adam Rey Wolford, 34, had escalated a confrontation outside the Cancun Cantina in the early hours of June 4, weaving his car around the dance club’s parking lot.
On Wednesday, Wolford was sentenced to 75 years in prison on five assault convictions, with all but 15 years suspended, the time sought by Assistant State’s Attorney Carolynn Grammas.
Earlier in the hearing, Hannah Blair, Zachary Krehely, Jennifer Miller and Jessica Kurtz recounted for Anne Arundel Circuit Judge Stacy McCormack their experiences from that night and the months since. The fifth victim and third person struck, Zachary Jackson, and his mother addressed the court in January when Wolford submitted his guilty pleas.
It was clear that the chaos from each crash had a cohesive effect on the victims. Before and after Wolford’s appearance, they stood together in a circle with their families, connected by an event that McCormack said she was “amazed” had resulted in no deaths.
Addressing the judge, Blair, an Army nurse struck running to help Miller and Kurtz in their car, said she believed there was a protective force over Hanover that night.
“God definitely had his hand over all of us,” she said.
Wolford was arrested shortly after his rampage around Cancun Cantina. He was found less than 2 miles from the scene and when confronted, he attempted to tell police someone had hopped in his lap and “gunned” the vehicle.
Initially charged with 36 offenses, including attempted murder and drunken driving, Wolford has been held by author
ities for nearly a year. He eventually pleaded guilty to five counts of first-degree assault, driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident.
Witnesses at Cancun Cantina told officials that Wolford had been involved in a confrontation in the nightclub’s parking lot and had kneed another man in the groin and stomach before getting in his SUV.
Driving erratically, several people, including Miller and Kurtz, fled into their own vehicles hoping to avoid the danger in front of them.
Wolford, however, rammed into Kurtz’s recently purchased Ford Explorer, backed up and sped into its front again. It was totaled. Self-employed and left with a weakened credit score, Kurtz told the judge it took her two months to be able to buy another car. By then, she had spent hundreds of dollars on rides for her kids, a major problem given her inability to work at the time.
After ramming the Explorer, Wolford pointed his headlights toward a 7-Eleven across the street.
In the convenience store parking lot, several people were alerted by the crash. Blair had started to move toward Kurtz and Miller, hoping to help, but Wolford sped through the lot, striking her and Krehely, who rolled onto the hood and were flung onto the pavement.
They were severely injured. When police found the defendant’s car, Krehely’s handprint was still on the hood. He described the aftermath as the “most traumatic and painful weeks” of his life and Blair said she’s unsure she’ll be able to stay in the Army in her condition.
Wolford then left the 7-Eleven lot and hit Zachary Jackson, who was waiting for a ride, Grammas said. The Cherokee turned back. Going through the 7-Eleven, Wolford hit Kurtz’s car one last time before speeding from the scene.
Ten months later, the five victims had all relayed their stories to the judge, all walking but far from the end of their recovery. McCormack said they were lucky to be alive.
Defense attorney Michael McGraw said the June 4 rampage was a “poster child for how alcohol can ruin your life,” especially when that person struggles with mental illness.
McGraw said his client had taken “full responsibility” for his actions. Wolford was shocked when he woke up to discover what he had done, the attorney said, and when he found out all five people would survive, he cried.
The defendant offered his “most sincere and heartfelt apologies” Wednesday during court, saying he “would truly give anything” to ease their suffering.
Family and friends attempted to vouch for Wolford, saying the events of June 4 were “completely out of character.” But McCormack could not ignore the severity of his actions and how he had managed to make his addiction an unending problem for five others.
“I’m very thankful we aren’t here on five counts of murder,” she said.