Palestine man jailed on intoxicated manslaughter charge in woman’s hit-and-run death

Published 6:08 pm Tuesday, January 18, 2022

A Palestine man has been arrested on a charge of intoxicated manslaughter in the hit-and-run death of a pedestrian.

Colby Gholston, 30, was being held Tuesday in the Anderson County Jail on a $1 million bond in the death of 41-year-old Kandy Sexton, of Palestine, according to a statement released by Palestine police spokeswoman Michele Herbert.

Officers responded just after 9:30 p.m. Saturday to South Loop 256 and Old Elkhart Road in reference to a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle, according to Herbert.

Upon arrival, officers found a woman, identified as Sexton, had been struck by a vehicle. Sexton was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to Herbert, the suspect’s vehicle left the scene after the wreck. A short time later, the Texas Department of Public Safety told Palestine police that a vehicle matching the description of the one involved in the hit-and-run had crashed on U.S. 84 east of the Palestine city limits. Police identified the driver as Gholston.

Palestine detectives responded to the crash scene on U.S. 84 and identified the truck as the same vehicle that struck Sexton, according to the statement.

Police arrested Gholston on a charge of driving while intoxicated.

Detectives obtained a warrant on intoxicated manslaughter for Gholston, which was served at the jail.