Officials think ‘affluenza’ teen fled country

Twelve others were hurt, including two critically injured teens who were among seven people riding in Couch’s pick-up.

The teen, who was 16 at the time of the deadly crash, had a blood-alcohol level of almost three times the legal limit when he was speeding and lost control of his pickup truck. It was what should be done with him next.

Randy Turner, the director of Tarrant County Juvenile Services, confirmed that a directive to apprehend was issued for Couch earlier this week. He was ordered to attend a rehabilitation facility. “And (that is) exactly what Lucas McConnell predicted”.

In related news, North Texas man gets 7 years in oil, gas investment scam. Fred and Tonya Couch do not live together.

Their apparent disappearance comes shortly after the video of Couch at a party turned up on social media, CNN affiliate KTVT reported.

Last Friday, Couch missed a probation meeting, setting off a statewide search. “Now we have to spend more time, more resources, more taxpayer dollars out looking for someone who should be locked up”. He was given 10 years of probation and sentenced to therapy; and his father, apparently learning nothing, offered to pay $450,000 a year for Couch’s therapy at a luxury center in California. His defense was that he suffered from “affluenza”.

‘Because of the publicity in the case, we are receiving dozens of tips every day, ‘ Anderson said. “… It doesn’t help to be on the lam, at all”.

Woodrich says it’s possible Ethan and his mother are still in the area, although he admits the theory they fled south of the border could be right.

In order to be punished, of course, Couch first must be found.

Authorities have been searching for Couch since Tuesday, when the juvenile-justice equivalent of an arrest warrant was issued for the teenager.

Couch, 18, is wanted for probation violation in Tarrant County, a press release from the U.S. Marshals’ office reads.

‘They had a good head start, ‘ Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson told CNN this week.

“They have the money”.

“They felt like if they stayed, he continued to cooperate that at some point the other shoe was going to drop and he was going to be arrested anyway”, Sheriff Anderson told Fox News 4 in Dallas-Fort Worth.

They’re also trying to determine where he is and are anxious he may have left the country. If they planned to flee, though, he says it doesn’t take much to avoid detection.

The probation sentence outraged the victims’ families and spectators across the country. In the video, Couch is not seen drinking alcohol, but the teen who posted the video tagged the district attorney and referenced that Couch was “violating probation”. “He never looked the families in the face”.