The Texas Court of Appeals has recently upheld the intoxication manslaughter conviction of Austin resident Scott Taylor. This decision comes from a tragic incident back in 2021, when Taylor's vehicle collided into that of 20-year-old Colton Roberts, who later succumbed to his injuries. Despite the appeal, the court found no grounds to overturn the original verdict, according to CBS Austin.
Roberts, a student at the University of Texas at Dallas, was set to return to class the evening of the fatal crash on Jollyville Road in Austin. Taylor, who has a history with driving while intoxicated, pled guilty to the charges but later attempted to challenge the legality of the blood draw and the search warrant. This appeal was, however, fruitless as it was officially denied, reported KXAN.
Officer Seth Dooley, who arrested Taylor that fateful night, stated in his affidavit that Taylor had refused a breath or blood sample at the scene, which was interpreted as an attempt to hide evidence of intoxication. A magistrate judge later issued a search warrant for Taylor's blood, which became a point of contention in his appeal. Taylor's attorney argued that the search warrant lacked probable cause, a notion dismissed by the court.
While Taylor's legal battles draw to a close, the family of Colton Roberts strives to celebrate his life and legacy. Tanya Roberts, Colton's mother, expressed relief at the end of the protracted legal process, saying, "Phew," in an email statement obtained by KXAN. The University of Texas at Dallas honors Colton with a scholarship in his name, and during this holiday season, Tanya adorned a tree at Bull Creek Park with handmade ornaments to remember her son. "The end of Colton’s story is not his entire story," she told KXAN.
Looking back at Taylor's driving record, he was previously convicted of two other driving while intoxicated offenses in 2000 and 2010. A more recent arrest in 2015 on Taylor Draper Lane in Austin, which could have been his third DWI, was subsequently reduced to a reckless driving charge. This past incident has brought to light questions regarding the handling of repeat DWI offenders and the potential escalation of such charges to felonies under certain circumstances.
