Troy community mourns former professor

Troy University is mourning the loss of a former Troy professor killed in a hit-and-run earlier this month.

On Jan. 7, 79-year-old Dr. Marcus Gaddis was struck and killed by a vehicle alongside Honeysuckle Road in Dothan, Alabama. Gaddis was a beloved friend and retired business professor at Troy University.

“He was by far the best professor I ever had, and I spent five years in college,” said former Troy student Paul Blount in an interview with WDHN. “Somebody who has in his heart what he had for the world; it’s hard to see him go, and it’s terrible.”

Dothan police say Gaddis had stopped along the roadway and gotten out of his vehicle for unknown reasons. He then dropped some papers he was carrying and bent down to pick them up. That’s when he was hit by a dark SUV, leaving him dead on the scene.

The SUV fled the scene, but surveillance cameras identified the driver as 57-year-old George Rice. Rice was arrested and charged with one count of murder and one count of leaving the scene of the accident. He was already out on bond for a previous incident, where he fled the scene after hitting two pedestrians. He was said to be drinking the night Gaddis was hit.

Gaddis taught at Troy University for years before retiring in 2012. His former students are now honoring his memory and influence.

“You don’t know what that one person or true impact is,” said Blount. “It could have been a completely different outcome if he had not been there.

“He really made a huge impact, and I would have certainly liked to have an opportunity to tell him that.”

Rice is currently being held without bond in the Houston County Jail. Police hope that this arrest can bring some peace of mind to Gaddis’ loved ones.

“Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with Dr. Gaddis’ friends and family during this time,” said Dothan Police Chief William Benny in an article on AL.com. “Hopefully this arrest will help them begin to heal from this terrible tragedy.”