‘Affluenza Teen’ Heads Back to Court

Photograph courtesy of the Tarrant County Jail.

Update (11:30 a.m.) – Tarrant County Judge Wayne Salvant orders Ethan Couch to serve four consecutive 180 day sentences in the Tarrant County Jail. One count for each of the four victims killed. The defense team has two weeks to appeal the ruling.

Update (10:30 a.m.) – Tarrant County Judge Wayne Salvant outlined the terms of Ethan Couch’s probation during a hearing on Wednesday. He told the teen to stay away from drugs, alcohol, etc. Couch will also not be able to drive, he must seek employment, and he must report to a community supervision officer. Judge Salvant also ordered Couch to remain in the county jail while he sorts out additional matters. It is the first time Couch appeared in “adult court.”

Lawyers also took issues with the gag order. “The purpose of this order is to keep opinions of either the state or the defense out of the media,” said Judge Salvant. He explained that statements made about Ethan Couch in the press could hurt his mom’s case. Tonya Couch’s case has not yet gone to a grand jury. She’s charged with hindering the apprehension of felon, a third-degree felony punishable by two to 10 years in prison. Prosecutors allege Tonya Couch helped her son flee to Mexico while authorities were investigating whether he violated the terms of his probation. At issue was a video that surfaced of Couch at a party where others were playing beer pong. Judge Salvant is also overseeing Tonya Couch’s case.

Ethan Couch killed four people in a drunk driving crash in 2013. Many were outraged when he was not given jail time after a psychologist testified that he had been protected from the consequences of his poor decisions because of his family’s wealth, a theory later dubbed the “affluenza” defense.

Judge Salvant has sealed Ethan Couch’s documents from the juvenile court.

Prosecutors asked the judge to order Ethan Couch to serve 120 days in jail for each person he killed during Wednesday’s hearing.

FORT WORTH (WBAP/KLIF News) – The Fort Worth teen who killed four people in a drunken driving crash makes his first appearance in adult court on Wednesday morning.

Without the transfer from the juvenile system to adult court, Ethan Couch’s probation would have expired on his 19th birthday, which was Monday.

Couch was convicted of four counts of intoxication manslaughter stemming from a deadly crash in June 2013. Four people were killed, and nine others were hurt. Couch had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit, according to court records.

Couch avoided jail and was sentenced to 10 years probation. His lawyers argued Couch was a victim of his privileged upbringing or “affluenza.”

Couch and his mom, Tonya, left the country in Nov. 2015 as authorities were investigating if he violated his probation.

The judge could order Couch to spend four months in jail as part of his probation. If he violates those conditions, he could get up to ten years in prison for each person killed.