Ethan Couch Booked Into Texas Jail, First Hearing Scheduled

Ethan Couch, the teen infamous for using the “affluenza” defense during a 2013 drunk driving accident that killed four people, is back in a Texas jail after fighting deportation in Mexico for weeks.

AP reports that Couch, 18, arrived late Thursday morning at the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, escorted by authorities. He was led to a Texas juvenile detention center, where he’s currently booked , awaiting tomorrow’s hearing. The teen now joins his mother Tonya Couch, 48, back in Texas. Tonya Couch was deported back a few weeks ago from Mexico, after she and her son fled to Puerto Vallarta once Ethan allegedly violated his probation.

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Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson, who’s been on the Couch case since 2013, when the teen was given probation after his DWI incident, stated that he hopes justice will finally be served to both mother and son.

“We’ve reached a great milestone. This is a day we’ve looked forward to, when we have them both here and back under the jurisdiction here. We’re hoping that the day comes for justice for the families and the four victims that were killed.”

Couch is scheduled to attend Friday morning court hearing, as part of Texas law, which mandates each person detained have a hearing within 24 hours. Couch will be screened for any medical issues and officially assigned to a housing unit in the Tarrant County Juvenile Detention Center.

On February 19, Couch will again appear in court. The judge is scheduled to hear arguments from both the prosecution and defense to decide if Couch’s case should transfer indefinitely to adult court. He’s currently being handled by the juvenile court because he was sentenced to probation while still a minor.

Anderson is hoping the judge transfers the 18-year-old to adult court, given that he’s no longer a minor and understands exactly what’s going on.

“He’s certainly capable of understanding now what’s going on, and I’d feel better if he was there.”

CNN reports that Anderson also said that so far, Couch has been compliant and courteous. He’s following directions well, although not saying much.

“He was very calm. He was very quiet, very passive, not at all argumentative or resistant. He followed every direction. His only request is he was hungry and wanted something to eat. He was as compliant and as docile as anyone we have ever seen coming into a facility.”

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) representatives declared that they’ll be at the court on February 19, to petition for Couch to enter the adult court system. According to Colleen Sheehey-Church, MADD’s national president,

“Couch’s actions are not that of a child, and we will continue our petition… to move Couch’s case from juvenile to adult court. Couch may be back to fight his battle in court, but MADD is here to continue fighting ‘Affluenza.’ We must ensure Couch gets prison.”

Couch’s first hearing to determine whether he should transfer to adult court was scheduled earlier this month, while he was still being detained in Mexico. Yet his attorney Scott Brown argued that the teen may have been forced to go to Mexico against his will. In turn, Brown argued to stop the hearing, claiming there was no proof that Couch “voluntarily absented himself,” indicating that Tonya Couch may be solely responsibled for the teen’s disappearance.

When prosecutors asked Brown if he meant Ethan Couch was taken against his will, Brown said that he’s still investigating the possibility.

“I don’t think that’s what I said. As far as Ethan being taken against his will, we are examining the facts, investigating the facts.”

If the case is indeed moved to adult court, and Ethan Couch violates his probation again, he faces up to 10 years in prison for each death that occurred in 2013 at his hands. Meanwhile, Tonya Couch, who made bail last week, faces charges of hindering the apprehension of a felon.