He could run, but he couldn’t hide.
Authorities said a Texas teenager serving probation for killing four people in a drunken-driving wreck after invoking an “affluenza” defense was in custody in Mexico, weeks after he and his mother disappeared.
The public affairs department of the prosecutors’ office in Mexico’s Jalisco state confirmed that 18-year-old Ethan Couch and his mother, Tonya Couch, were detained in Puerto Vallarta around 6:00 p.m. Monday.
Authorities began searching for the pair after Ethan Couch failed to keep a mandatory appointment with his probation officer on Dec. 10, leading authorities to issue the juvenile equivalent of an arrest warrant for him.
Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson has said he believes the two fled in late November after a video surfaced that appears to show Couch at a party where people were drinking. If found to be drinking, Couch’s probation could be revoked and he could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
A spokesman for the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Department has declined to say whether Tonya Couch is facing any charges.
There was no immediate comment Monday night from the U.S. Marshals Service, which had issued a wanted poster promising a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to Couch’s whereabouts and capture.
In June 2013 at age 16, Ethan Couch was driving drunk and speeding on a dark two-lane road south of Fort Worth when he crashed into a disabled SUV off to the side, killing four people and injuring several others, including passengers in Couch’s pickup truck.
Couch pleaded guilty to four counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault causing serious bodily injury. Because of his age, he wasn’t certified as an adult for trial and a judge sentenced him in juvenile court to 10 years’ probation and a stint in a rehabilitation center.
During the sentencing phase of his trial, Couch’s attorneys relied on a defense expert who argued that Couch’s wealthy parents coddled him into a sense of irresponsibility — a condition the expert termed “affluenza.” The condition is not recognized as a medical diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association, and its invocation drew widespread ridicule.
Anderson, the sheriff, was among those critical of the judge’s decision not to incarcerate Couch. The sheriff said that the teen has never expressed remorse for his actions and that his case sparked more outrage than any other Anderson has encountered in his law enforcement career.
If his father or mother was a plumber, store worker, farmer, cop or factory worker then he would have been in Hunstville State Prison in TX. No class systems in America, right?
Right on…totally agree!
Absolutely! And these namby-pamby morons appointed as judges are only enabling pairs like this one. What we need is judges with balls enough to make an example out of this turd and his mother who enabled him. Mark my word, you’ll read about him again and many others coddled by the “system” too.
The parents should have been jailed along with their spoiled brat.
The Judge in this case made a huge mistake. To begin with, this young man took 4 lives, there should have never been probation. This ruling by the Judge should be checked out. Then his Mother, what the hell is wrong with this women. Aiding & Abetting is a serious charge. Their goose should be cooked
That judge did NOT seek re-election because she saw the writing on the wall. She NEVER should have given him probation as that was a real slap in the face to the families of his victims. She equated their lives with a probationary sentence. How unfair is that! I hope she never tries to be a judge or anything else that has to do with law again.
Kathy Diamond…you are correct, ” Their goose should be cooked”. But it will not happen. The legal system is a failure and favors the criminal.
You are so right! Money still is the real negotiator and that is really sad.
Just shows what money will buy? How many rich people visit our prison system or even our jails?
Even fewer in our military.
A poor excuse for a country when someone is “too rich to go to jail” for his/her crimes. Hoping that this scumbag and his mother both serve the appropriate prison time. He for the crime, her for raising the little moron in that fashion in the first place.
But mommy took the little boy out of the country to avoid prosecution. That in itself is a felony on her part.
yes but she will hire the best attorney and get off without ruining her good name.hahaha
Are you sure you are not refering to the Clintons? Happy New Year to All
When I read stories like this. The first thing that comes to mind, is that the Judge was paid off.
As a reminder driving is a privilege not a right. And if you are given the privilege, you should be treated as an adult.
Lock him up.
John had it right. RE: probably the Judge was paid off. Remember all the “appointees” during the last 7 years by the W.H.? Judges are also appointed. The corruption trickles down, also affecting our “economics. No SSI, cost of living, is an example, while His Majesty goes on a 3 1/2 million dollar vacation.
I totally agree, Tom. Moron he is, for sure, and she is a very irresponsible (for want of a better word) parent. They should both serve time.
They all mother father and him need jail time and no fancy prison ether, and their money needs to pay to the families he distroid and pay back the cops for having to hunt them down, and to the small kids college and there needs, make the punishment worth what they have done and maybe the rich will learn a lesson that they are Not better than a homeless person that they probably caused, because of greed.
I agree!
An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth hang the spoiled little f en Brat, but be sure to get a New Rope so its good enough for those rich parents of his or they will sure piss an mown about that too
why wasn’t he locked up before mommy could take him underground?
He gets 10 years for killing four people??? He should get live without parole.
I find the use of the term “affluenza” comical. On a news report this morning, I even heard it referred to as “what psychologists call affluenza” – YGBSM! Since when is Rush Limbaugh a psychologist? It’s a made-up term he created several years ago to describe an epidemic of spoiled brats. Quit using the term unless you’re paying royalties…
I hope the little bastard gets 30 years in prison, maybe he will grow up. His mother should get at least 10.
They should get life in prison. Like mother, like son. And the diet could be bread and water.
The old put ’em in jail and throw away the key mentality. Why not tie a rope to him and drag the kid for a few miles behind a car? Look, I’m not making excuses for him and I believe he does need some jail time. However, putting a young person in jail for such an extended period of time is counterproductive to him and society. When we are 35+ years old we can all look back on our lives and say: “Did I really do something that stupid?” His mother is another story and the judge should look at her closely. If what I read is true, she also needs some time in jail. In addition to jail time, this kid should have to work in an emergency room at a hospital so he can see first hand what people like him have done. A stint working in a morgue or funeral home would not hurt either. Prison is nothing more than a storage place for human beings and long sentences should be reserved for persons the judge thinks is a threat to society if left on the street, or repeaters that have not learned a lesson. Although it is illegal, a few minutes in a locked room with family members of the deceased, would not hurt either.
would change your mind about jail time if it was your family was killed by the little monster
I don’t know…. I have two boys and they’re over thirty and neither one ever thought about being as irresponsible as this kid. But if they had, I wouldn’t worry much about where they wound up. I drank plenty in my youth and never killed anybody or got pinched for DUI either. Guess it has something to do with personal responsibility. You either have it or you don’t. Perhaps jail time will help this miscreant learn his limits. Check with the surviving families and see if they agree!
You’re reading something into it that I did not say. Conversely, I said he does deserve jail time, but not 30 years as the poster said that I was responding to. If his parents would have kicked his butt a few times as he was growing up, he wouldn’t be in this spot. How much time should he get? I don’t know because I am not the judge and do not have all the facts. In addition, I hope someone wipes the grin off of his face with a knuckle sandwich.
Are you stupid? That man, because he’s not a kid, has no sense of remorse or responsibility. He’s totally oblivious to the harm that he cause to those he killed and maimed and to their families! The only think that he’s sorry is that he got caught, nothing else! He should be locked up forever, his attitude is never going to change. I bet you’d think different if the ones he killed were part of your family! Jail time is and should always be a deterrent to commit a crime, not a vacation, not a spa visit, not a codling place for rich people. Because of his family wealth he’s going to be put in one of those minimum security facilities that have all the amenities for rich inmates. He should be with the general population, maybe then he’ll regret the damage he caused. Do not defend him because he’s a “minor”, which he’s not!
Danny Stewart I could not have said it any better.
Yuppers… ur right about all that.
He need’s to go directly to prison, and she needs to go as well for aiding, and abetting him as the felon he is !!!!!!
Yuppers… but don’t hold ur breath for justice to be served on the little turd.
During my time as a LE Officer I also met up with people like this. I even charged one with 1st Degree Murder for killing a young man while he was DUI. He was wealthy and had many, many friends who were prominent and well placed including a State Senator and US House of Representative! His lack of remorse and the limited prison time for DUI Manslaughter led me to charge him with this major crime. Turns out he had two previous DUI’s in other States. Bottom line he was found guilty of the DUI Manslaughter but his punishment was not only the max, but the Judge tacked on an additional 10 yr probation so he in effect received twice his possible sentence and the State Law changed to increase the punishment to triple the possible time in prison. Additionally ALL his political and wealthy friends abandoned him and he served some very hard time in the State Prison.
Very glad to hear this…justice was served. And, of course, all his political and wealthy friends abandoned him!
His mother should serve time for her part of aiding a crook but money sure seems to talk. I have never heard of to rich to go to jail when you drive drunk and kill people. What the hell is this country coming to. Too many lawyers tearing our laws apart. and judges making some pretty crazy rulings.
Well Done, why is it that the folks with money/position seem to think they are immune from prosecution? You think because it has happened so often in the past? Time for the judicial system to be fair to all levels of society, and that goes for politicians as well, they all should be held accountable for their actions and deeds! All the way up to the White House where the president has been GUILTY of breaking many laws and committing crimes against the constitution! Hillary included as an accomplice and co-conspirator for all that happened during her watch as Secretary of State as well! Immunity from Prosecution is BS!
The judge in the original case should be impeached and removed from the bench. His judgment abilities are severely flawed.
Hopefully this teen and his mother will both get to spend the next 10 years in prison. If the teen didn’t know the difference between right and wrong he should not have been allowed to drive in the first place. Prisons were created to punish lawbreakers and to protect the citizens. As long as this kid and his mom are able to roam free they are both a danger to law-abiding citizens.
Ten years of prison wouldn’t be enough time considering four people are dead….I say put both of them in prison and throw away the key..no one is above the law and recently we see on capitol hill that if a politician does wrong…the others look away…look at hillary with benghazi , look at O’bama showing support for the terrorists…they should both be in prison too..so u see…these slap me on the wrists sentences come from the lawmakers and if ur wealthy u get off with a lighter sentence..been you or me…we’d be in prison right now..
Basically our system with lawmakers and politicians start from washington and the rest just follow suit….plus the handouts those politicans might be receiving….not saying all politicians are that way but there are always good or bad no matter what group of people it could be..if a set law is made..everyone should abide by it..and doesn’t matter if ur wealthy or poor..law is meant for everyone..
If this punk had used a gun instead of a car to kill four people, the cries of anguish by politicians for more gun control laws backed of course by a bleeding heart media, and another dumb executive order by His Majesty Obama to add to his disarmament agenda.
Money talks and b.s. walks, so Mommy and Daddy’s wealth will buy off a corrupt liberal judge to keep Mommy and brat both out of prison. Meanwhile the brat will continue to live life into adulthood without remorse although the trail of the dead he left behind will have him someday facing a much higher authority from a judge to whom money means nothing.
Shoot, he will probably be president in a few years. The requirements seem to have gone down so far already… Maybe we should all listen to these idiots who want to prosecute parents for punishing their own children for bad behavior and raise all our children to be sociopaths so they will always be safe from prosecution when they commit murder. Lord, have mercy on us all!
It’s really sad four people lost their lives and the person that kill them will not go to jail because he is rich,what would happen if the people killed was rich,how would the unfair system that .
sue his parents for wrongful death
The Judge, Mommy and the a**H*** son should go to jail. This Country has lost it’s moral rudder and we are destined for a hell on earth.
Our system is broken; kids n matter rich/ poor/ black/white etc must be held accountable. What will this rich f***kr brat do next?
Certainly be interesting to see how this plays out;
*drinking on probation
*intentionally missing a probation meeting
*mother aiding and abetting a felon in leaving the country.
I would hope for the young man 3 or 4 years jail time followed by 10 years of meaningful community service.
I would hope for the mother equal jail time and several millions in reparations to the victims families.
I would hope the “so called” judge is disbarred from ever practicing law again.
Permanent revocation of passports for both.
Our whole system is like this now, all about money. When i was a teen i knew of two lawyers around here, now they are behind every bush, ad’s on tv and all. Its my opinion that we should take the worst of our politicans and judges out and hang them,i bet the next ones in office would do better.
THIS PIECE OF SHIT, LOW LIFE, POOR EXCUSE FOR A HUMAN BEING DOES NOT DESERVE TO DRAW ANOTHER BREATH. WHAT GOES AROUND, COMES AROUND…WAIT AWHILE, HE WILL GET HIS….
JUST THE THOUGHT THAT HE TOOK THE LIVES OF 4 PEOPLE, DISGUSTS ME TO NO END. AND HE SHOWS NO REMORSE. WELL, DUDE, YOU WILL BE LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER FOR THE REST OF YOUR MISERABLE EXISTENCE.
U ppl fail 2 realize where this took place.this was Texas.i will bet all the money in the world if he was black he would have been in jail b4 that judge left the bench.and he would never see the light of day.the lawyer is probably going 2 come up with some new term 2 get the mother off.these damn conservative judges is making a mockery of the judicial system. Just look how they used the tax payers money 2 pay for that stupid bust of the war monger.
Ethan Couch killed 4 people driving drunk, age doesn’t matter, being spoiled rich doesn’t matter, being remorseful doesn’t matter, he needs be incarcerated for his crime of murdering 4 innocent human beings, that is the only thing that does matter. The Judge is either mentally challenged or stupid and should be impeached from his job. Ethan needs to be sentenced to a minimum of 20 years behind bars in an adult facility so Bubba Washington Smith and Tyrone Jefferson Jones can pimp his a$$ around the cell block for cigarettes, candy or other pogybait that criminals live on in prison. Ethan should apply for a name change to Emma and serve his time like a man, pardon the pun. Lets see if he still has that smug arrogant smile on his face after 20 years in the clink, which he so richly deserves!
You are one sick puppy. All the evidence you have is what some reporter has written. You would fit in well with a lynch mob. No trial, no defense, just hang him. I was the foreman on a jury in a criminal case and saw two jurors with the same attitude as you. We were in the jury holding room and they wanted to convict the defendant even before the trial started. It would be poetic justice if you had people like you on your jury if you ever were on trial for committing a crime.