His attorney in Mexico, Fernando Benitez, told The Associated Press Tuesday that has client was dropping his effort to stave off deportation to Tarrant County.
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Benitez expects a judge to close the case Tuesday, noting that would clear the way for Couch to return to Texas in one or two days.
He said Couch had decided not to continue with the constitutional appeal after reviewing his options. The 18-year-old killer drunk driver has been south of the border since the beginning of December, after a viral video of Couch playing beer pong appeared on Twitter and he then missed an appointment with his probation officer.
Couch is now being held in an immigration detention center outside of Mexico City which has been singled out by past inmates for its harsh conditions and strict discipline. Couch, who had changed his appearance, appealed his deportation, which led to a court injunction.
“Affluenza” teen Ethan Couch could be back in North Texas in the next 48 hours.
Texas authorities launched an investigation and tried to contact Couch and his mother, Tonya, before revealing they had no idea where the pair were.
After initially heading to Puerto Vallarta, Couch was arrested after he ordering pizza from a Mexican Domino’s. The wreck killed four people and injured several others.
A separate hearing is scheduled for February 19 to determine whether Couch’s case is transferred to the adult system. During his trial in juvenile court, a witness mentioned that Couch didn’t know right from wrong because of “affluenza” caused by his affluent parents’ failure to impose consequences for his behavior. “Affluenza” is not recognized as a medical diagnosis by the American Psychiatric Association, and its invocation drew ridicule.
According to Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson, Ethan Couch is likely to receive the same high profile treatment as his mother did during his return. When that happens, he’ll face a maximum of 120 days in jail as a potential condition of his new adult probation. If it is transferred and Couch violates his probation again, he could face up to 10 years in prison per death.
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Tonya couch is back in the USA and charged with hindering the apprehension of a felon.
