A Texas teen from a wealthy family, a fugitive after breaking his probation sentence for killing four people while driving drunk, has been taken into custody, a Tarrant County, Texas, official said on Monday.
CNN reported he had been taken into custody in Mexico.
Ethan Couch, 18, nicknamed the "affluenza" teen, was serving 10 years probation for intoxication manslaughter in the 2013 incident.
He and his mother, Tonya Couch, 48, disappeared earlier this month, prompting officials in Tarrant County to place the teen on the county's most wanted list and issue a warrant for his apprehension.
Couch became known as the "affluenza" teen during his trial, when a psychologist said he was so wealthy and spoiled he could not tell the difference between right and wrong.
A Tarrant County official confirmed on Monday that Couch had been detained but declined to give further details.
CNN, citing officials briefed on the matter, said Couch and his mother were located near Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, and said Couch would be turned over to the U.S. Marshals Service.
Mexico's attorney general's office did not respond immediately to calls seeking information.
At age 16, Couch was speeding and had a blood-alcohol level of nearly three times the legal limit when he lost control of his pickup truck and fatally struck a stranded motorist on the side of the road and three Good Samaritans who had stopped to help.
Tarrant County Sheriff Dee Anderson said last week it appeared Couch and his mother had fled the country and that the home they shared had been cleared of its contents. The teen's father was said to be cooperating with investigators.
© 2024 Newsmax. All rights reserved.