Texas woman Tonya Couch, mother of the “affluenza teen” who killed several people during a drunk driving crash in 2013, is back in jail after breaking stipulations of her bond agreement.
Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that 52-year-old Couch, who was out on bail and awaiting trial for allegedly sneaking her son Ethan Couch into Mexico in 2015, failed a urinalysis test. Part of the bond agreement stated she had to refrain from alcohol and drugs, and regularly submit to drug and alcohol testing. The arrest marks the third time she’s reportedly violated her bond requirements.
In March 2018, authorities arrested Couch for using a prohibited substance. She was released from jail after posting $75,000 bond, but arrested again a month later for meth use. In August 2018, a judge reduced her bond and released her again.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Couch’s son, Ethan, Couch, now 21, had an opportunity that some other young people in his situation never had. After killing four people and causing life-long injuries to others after he decided to get behind the wheel after a night filled with drinking, former Texas District Judge Jean Boyd allowed him to avoid jail by completing 10 years of probation and enrolling in a rehabilitation center.
One of the stipulations of his probation was that Ethan Couch to abstain from drinking alcohol. Within a few years of his conviction, a video surfaced showing someone that appeared to be Couch engaging in a game of “beer pong” with others.
As the video quickly gained attention, Ethan Couch and his mother snuck away from their Tarrant County home in the middle of night and fled to Mexico. Within a few weeks, mom and son were caught in Puerto Vallarta, a Mexican resort town in Jalisco.
Upon his return to the U.S. in 2016, Couch was sentenced to serve 720 days behind bars. He was released in 2018, but the tragic mess he left behind is a stark reminder that he took several lives in what could have been a preventable situation.
Slain victims of the 2013 tragedy include:
- Breanna Mitchell
- Brian Jennings
- Hollie Boyles
- Shelby Boyles
The crash also left numerous people injured, including Sergio Molina, who suffered permanent brain injury and was paralyzed from the waist down.
Tonya Couch faces up to 10 years in prison on each charge if convicted. She’s facingcharges of hindering the apprehension of a fugitive and money laundering.
[Feature Photo: Tonya Couch/Police Handout]
