'Affluenza' teen, now 19, is officially in adult court
FORT WORTH — The case of the Texas teen known for his "affluenza" defense when he was given probation for killing four people in a 2013 drunken-driving crash is now officially in adult court.
In February, a judge decided that Ethan Couch's case will be moved to adult court by his 19th birthday. Couch turned 19 on Monday.
His case officially transferred from Tarrant County Juvenile Court to Criminal District Court. Going forward, he is in the adult system.
Couch spent his 19th birthday in a solitary cell, where he has been for the last two months. His next appearance in court will be before District Judge Wayne Salvant, the same judge handling the case against his mother, Tonya Couch. She's waiting to learn whether she will be indicted for allegedly helping her son run off to Mexico.
Couch was 16 years old at the time of the crash. Since he was a juvenile, he could not be certified for adult court and was tried in juvenile court.
Couch is known as the "affluenza" teen because during his trial, his defense attorney claimed his affluent upbringing prevented him from understanding his responsibility in the crash.
Couch returned to Texas on Jan. 28 after 28 days in custody in Mexico.
Couch and his mother, Tonya, fled to Mexico after a video surfaced that appeared to show him playing beer pong at a party, a violation of his probation. He is serving 10 years probation for killing four people and injuring several others in the drunken-driving crash.
The Couches were found and detained in December after calling out for pizza in the resort city of Puerto Vallarta. Tonya Couch was quickly sent back to the United States, charged with hindering the apprehension of a felon and released from jail after posting bail.
Salvant had cut Tonya Couch's bond from $1 million to $75,000, but he put her under virtual house arrest, with a GPS monitor and weekly probation visits.
Tonya Couch could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Salvant will now decide what conditions to place on Ethan Couch, and whether to give him an additional 120 days in jail.
Eventually, Couch will get a chance to continue his probation.
But now, if he violated probation again, he could go to prison.
A hearing in adult court was originally set for April 18, but court officials said the date has not yet been determined.
Contributing: Monica Hernandez, WFAA-TV, Dallas-Fort Worth, The Associated Press. Follow Jim Douglas on Twitter: @wfaajdouglas