Mothers Against Drunk Driving is organizing a petition demanding that “affluenza” teen Ethan Couch’s case be moved to adult court. Her bank account is frozen – prosecutors estimate it has $100,000 in it – and Patten argued that Tonya Couch’s husband is unlikely to provide her with financial support.
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Tonya Couch, who is divorced from Ethan’s father, was said to have withdrawn $30,000 from a bank account and told him that he would never see her, or his son, again.
But State District Judge Wayne Salvant said the goal of the bond amount is not oppression but of ensuring that someone makes it to trial. Even more important to MADD officials, the judge could also extend his probation beyond his 19th birthday, putting Couch under the threat of a much harsher sentence if he were to ever again be found in violation.
“Barring any unseen delays, she will be released tomorrow morning after getting monitor”, he tweeted. Ethan Couch is still being held in Mexico as he fights deportation.
Tonya Couch is charged with hindering the apprehension of a felon and could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
“Basically when we’re talking about bonds and getting people to jail we’ve got to remember that everybody is innocent until proven guilty in this country and in this state”. He has since been apprehended in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he was allegedly hiding out with his mother.
One of her attorneys, Stephanie Patten, said afterward that she wasn’t sure if Tonya Couch would immediately post bond. He also imposed conditions on a release on bond that include being placed on an electronic monitor, drug testing and reporting weekly to authorities. Authorities have previously said they had no evidence Fred Couch, who owns a North Texas sheet metal factory, was involved in helping Tonya and Ethan Couch flee.
At the hearing, Couch’s lawyer asked that her bond be reduced to $15,000.
Mr. Couch’s case drew national attention and anger when he was sentenced to probation for causing the fatal driving accident in 2013, after a defense witness in that case argued that he was afflicted with a condition the expert called “affluenza,” because the teen had been coddled by his wealthy parents.
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McWilliams testified that Fred Couch was “fairly adamant” he wasn’t going to give her money.
