‘Affluenza Teen' Ethan Couch Arrested on Probation Violation

Couch, now 22, violated his probation by testing positive for THC

Ethan Couch, known for his "Affluenza Teen" defense, was in custody Thursday for alleged probation violation.
NBC 5 News

"Affluenza teen" Ethan Couch has been booked into Tarrant County Jail, according to Tarrant County Sheriff spokesperson David McClelland.

Couch, now 22, violated his probation by testing positive for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, causing him to be taken into custody Thursday afternoon.

No bond amount has been set as of this writing.

In June 2013, the then-16-year-old Couch was driving drunk and under the influence of marijuana and Valium when he slammed into a group of people who had stopped to help a disabled driver along Burleson-Retta Road in southern Tarrant County. In addition to the four killed, nine were injured, several critically.

Couch became known as the "affluenza teen" during his 2013 manslaughter trial, when a psychologist told the court that he was affected by "affluenza," or irresponsibility caused by family wealth, The Associated Press reported.

He and his mother, Tonya, fled to Mexico, were arrested in the resort town of Puerto Vallarta and extradited back to Fort Worth. Couch was then sentenced to two years in jail, which he completed in April 2018.

He was ordered to wear an ankle monitor when he was released from prison. A judge allowed him to remove it last March. The monitor tracked his location and any alcohol use.

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