‘Affluenza’ Mom Accused of Violating Terms of Bond Release
Tonya Couch, the mother of controversial "affluenza" teen Ethan Couch, was in court to respond to accusations she violated the terms of her bond by drinking and possessing firearms.
Prosecutors presented witnesses that testified to seeing Couch consuming alcohol and carrying a rifle at a gun show. Alys Dill, general manager of the Eagles Nest sports bar in Fort Worth, testified that she saw Couch taking a drink of beer from a glass, confirming it was alcohol by explaining that non-alcoholic drinks are served in plastic cups. Jerry Stringer, a seller of firearm accessories, said he saw Couch carrying a rifle at a gun show in Fort Worth in June. Recognizing Couch and being aware of her case, he notified officers.
While the prosecution team looked to either revoke her bond or add further restrictions to the conditions of her bond, Couch's defense said her alcohol test have come back negative and that tighter restrictions, such as an alcohol monitor, would be impossible to implement.
According to Dallas News, Judge Wayne Salvant ruled that he wouldn't revoke Couch's bond, sending her to jail, but he would impose new restrictions to her bond, saying Couch must check in with authorities weekly and could not consume or even be in possession of alcohol. He also plead with Couch to use common sense, saying that with the notoriety of her and her son's case, all eyes in Texas are watching her. Couch's attorneys had once requested looser restrictions for her bond to allow her to work at a bar, but she has since left that job.
Couch gained infamy when her underage son Ethan was arrested for a drunk driving accident that claimed the lives of four people. Ethan claimed he suffered from 'affluenza', saying his privileged upbringing caused him to have a skewed view of "right and wrong". Ethan was sentenced to 10 years probation, but was filmed in 2015 violating his probation by drinking. He and his mother escaped to Mexico to avoid prosecution, but were apprehended when they returned to America. Ethan was subsequently convicted of violating his probation and was sentenced to two years in prison.