A Texas truck driver is facing a murder charge after allegedly shooting her boss in the head. Authorities say this isn’t the first time she’s been in serious trouble involving a firearm.
Workplace Shooting in Dallas County
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, Patricia Ruth Holt, 57, was arrested on July 24, 2025, after the death of Carl Donaldson, 47, safety manager at Sun Transportation Systems. Holt had worked at the company as a tractor-trailer driver for just over a month.
Police say they received a 911 call from Donaldson’s wife, Tonya Donaldson, at 5:35 p.m. reporting that her husband had been shot in the head but was still alive. Deputies arrived minutes later and saw Holt leaving the company lot in a white tractor-trailer.
Attempt to Flee and Standoff
Deputies tried to stop Holt from leaving, deploying spike strips that punctured the truck’s rear tires. She continued driving about 1,000 feet before stopping but refused to get out of the cab.
According to the affidavit, Holt told officers she intended to kill herself or provoke “suicide by cop.” She also allegedly claimed she had been “messed with” for too long and had been waiting two years to get paid for a job.
A hostage negotiator convinced Holt to surrender at 7:08 p.m., more than an hour after Donaldson was pronounced dead at the scene at 6:06 p.m.
Violent Incident From 1986
Court records reveal Holt has a violent past. In 1986, when she was a student at Red Hook High School in New York, she pleaded guilty to attempted assault in the first degree after bringing a loaded 12-gauge shotgun to school.
She had reportedly been dismissed from class for disruptive behavior and had threatened to kill her teacher. When she returned with the weapon, the teacher wasn’t present, and faculty members tackled and disarmed her. Holt received five years of probation.
The Daily Freeman first reported on the 1986 case.
Current Status
Holt remains in custody in Dallas County with her bail set at $1,000,000. She has not entered a plea and does not currently have an attorney.
