Founding member of State College Area Roller Derby killed in ATV crash, 2 others injured
A Centre County woman was killed and two others were injured Saturday in a pre-dawn all-terrain vehicle rollover crash in rural Clinton County, state police at Lamar wrote in a statement.
Rachel S. Gaddis, 38, of Spring Mills, died about 4 a.m. Saturday in Leidy Township after she was partially ejected and pinned by a 2023 Yamaha Wolverine RMAX2 1000, police wrote. She died at the scene.
Gaddis, who was also known as Blackout Betty, was a founding member of the State College Area Roller Derby. She was a “pillar of the league” since she took over as head coach in 2016, the team wrote in social media posts Monday.
“She single handedly kept the league going during the pandemic, and (led) the charge to host SCAR’s first ever tournament. Betty’s passion for derby was evident not only in her league leadership but also in the way that she made sure there was a space for everyone on the track. She was an absolute force and roller derby was her biggest passion (besides her chickens, and tubing, and rugby, and celebrating people),” the team wrote. “Her legacy is not just the league she helmed for the past decade, but the countless number of people she molded into the players they are today.”
Several people posted tributes Monday in memory of their friend. One remembered Gaddis as an “amazing friend,” while another wrote she was “everyone’s favorite person.”
“Betty was the type of friend who you didn’t realize you were becoming friends with and suddenly you are road tripping several states away to play derby together, and you can’t imagine your life without this person in it,” another woman wrote. “... For those who knew Betty best, she wasn’t a big hugger — but she said she would always save hugs for when it’s ‘been too long since I’ve last seen that person.’ Betty, you’re going to owe so many people a hug.”
Police intimated drugs and/or alcohol may have been a factor in the crash. An investigation is ongoing.
The driver — a 38-year-old Spring Mills man — struck a tree, went down a steep embankment, hit a second tree and overturned the ATV, police wrote. He and a passenger — a 42-year-old Clinton County man — were ejected and seriously injured.
Gaddis was straddling the center console before she was partially ejected, police wrote.
There were two fatal ATV crashes between 2012 and 2021 in Clinton County, Pennsylvania Department of Transportation data showed. Neither were in Leidy Township.
Two deadly ATV crashes were reported during that same period in Centre County. Both were in rural Rush Township.
