In a quiet corner of Austin, the memory of a 20-year-old student still lingers. After a long legal battle, the family of Colton Roberts has finally reached a point where the courtroom chapter is closed.
The Tragic Accident
In August 2021, Colton Roberts was struck and killed on Jollyville Road just after 9 p.m., right before he was set to return to class at the University of Texas at Dallas. The crash left the community stunned and the family desperate for answers.
Legal Proceedings and Appeals
Two years after the accident, Scott Taylor pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter in the crash that killed Roberts. Colton’s family had believed that the guilty plea would bring closure and end the courtroom drama. However, the family’s civil attorney, Amber Russel, explained that there was a “caveat that he could challenge the blood draw and the search warrant.”
By December, the appeal and discretionary review request were officially denied. “Phew,” Tanya Roberts, Colton’s mother, told KXAN in an email. She said the legal part of the tragedy is officially behind her.
KXAN will update this story when a response is received from Taylor’s attorney. Taylor has previously said he believed the search warrant in the case “lacked probable cause.”
Memorial and Legacy
Colton was passionate about the Geosciences and was studying them at UT-Dallas. The school called him a “devoted, enthusiastic and hard-working” student. There is a scholarship in his name for others hoping to study in the same field.
He also loved nature and helping others, Tanya said. To honor him this holiday season, she tied handmade ornaments to a tree at Bull Creek Park next to Colton’s memorial bench. She also put up a sign sharing a little bit about Colton and encouraging people to take an ornament. “The end of Colton’s story is not his entire story,” she said.
The tree and the bench have become a quiet gathering place for friends and family, a place where memories are kept alive and the spirit of Colton’s enthusiasm for learning continues to inspire.
Taylor’s Prior DWI History
KXAN previously dug further into Taylor’s case, finding evidence of multiple DWI arrests. According to his Texas Department of Public Safety criminal history report, Taylor has two previous misdemeanor DWIs-one in 2000 and another in 2010. They occurred in Travis and Comal counties, respectively.
Unless elevated circumstances are at play, DWIs don’t become felonies until an individual’s third. A 2015 arrest affidavit shows Austin police arresting Taylor for DWI on Taylor Draper Lane. According to his DPS record, this ultimately became a reckless driving charge. Misdemeanor court records show the DWI charge getting dismissed, and Taylor instead receiving probation for reckless driving.
Key Takeaways
- Colton Roberts was killed in August 2021 on Jollyville Road.
- Scott Taylor pleaded guilty to intoxication manslaughter two years later.
- Appeals and discretionary review requests were denied as of December.
- A memorial tree at Bull Creek Park honors Colton and a scholarship carries his name.
- Taylor’s criminal history includes two prior DWIs and a 2015 reckless driving charge.
The final denial of the appeal marks the end of a long and painful legal journey for the Roberts family. While the legal chapter has closed, the memory of Colton’s love for geoscience, nature, and community continues to live on in the quiet park tree and in the hearts of those who knew him.
Closing
For the Roberts family, the denial of the appeal is a relief and a moment of closure. As they gather around the tree in Bull Creek Park, they remember a student who was devoted, enthusiastic, and hard-working-a legacy that will endure through the scholarship and the stories shared by those who loved him.
