TARRANT COUNTY, Texas (CNN/KTVT) – Ethan Couch will no longer be behind prison bars, but he won’t exactly be free. He’s required to have GPS monitoring. He also has a curfew so he cannot be out anytime between 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.Five years ago, Couch, who was 16 at the time, killed four people while driving under the influence of alcohol. Others were seriously injured as well.
Couch’s attorneys said their client’s wealthy upbringing made it impossible for him to understand the consequences of his actions. That’s what led some to call couch the “affluenza teen.”
Couch was sentenced to a decade on probation, but two years later he fled to Mexico, a violation of the terms of his probation. He has been in jail the last two years.
Critics say the justice system has been too lenient with him. Colleen Sheehey-Church is the national president for Mothers Against Drunk Drivers, or MADD. She said, “We’ll continue to watch him because we have a partnership with Tarrant County to make sure that he at least adheres to all his rules of probation.”
And should Couch do something wrong again, he’s not expected to get any sympathy. Trial attorney Mark Tate said, “If he gets in trouble again and violates the terms of his parole, he’s going back to prison for the remainder of his sentence.”
Couch turns 21-years-old later this month. His mother, Tonya, is currently awaiting trial on a range of charges and is being held in the same jail.
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