Drink driving teen who killed four is spared jail 'because he's rich': Judge lets 'spoiled' boy facing 20 years off with probation after lawyers blame his wealthy parents

Ethan Couch, 16, of Keller, Texas, had faced 20 years behind bars but walked away with 10 years probation Tuesday

Youth pastor Brian Jennings; mother and daughter Hollie and Shelby Boyles; and 24-year-old Breanna Mitchell all died in the June 15 accident

A psychologist called by the defense blamed the teen's behavior on his parents, claiming they gave him 'freedoms no young person should have'

State District Judge Jean Boyd agreed and said she didn't think he could get adequate therapy in jail

A judge has let off a 16-year-old boy who killed four people while driving drunk after the teen's lawyers claimed his rich parents spoiled him and never taught him about consequences.

Ethan Couch of Keller, Texas, had faced 20 years behind bars but walked away with 10 years of probation Tuesday, something that angered his victims' families.

'Money always seems to keep (Couch) out of trouble,' Eric Boyles, whose wife and daughter were killed in the June 15 crash, told the Star Telegram after sentencing. 'Ultimately today, I felt that money did prevail. If (he) had been any other youth, I feel like the circumstances would have been different.'

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No jail: Ethan Couch of Keller, Texas, pictured left on Tuesday, had faced 20 years behind bars but walked away with 10 years probation, something that has angering his victim's families

Couch's blood alcohol reading was .24 and he also had a Valium in his system after he and a group of friends stole alcohol from Walmart, drank it and later piled into his pick-up truck. Driving 70 miles in a 40 miles per hour zone, he struck and killed four pedestrians as well as injuring two of his own passengers who remain paralyzed.

Youth pastor Brian Jennings; mother and daughter Hollie and Shelby Boyles; and 24-year-old Breanna Mitchell all died in the accident.

A psychologist called by the defense, Dr. Gary Miller, blamed the teen's behavior on his parents, claiming they gave him whatever he wanted including 'freedoms no young person should have.'



Miller called Couch a product of 'affluenza,' where his family felt their wealth bought privilege and there was no rational link between behavior and consequences. He added that the boy had an 'intellectual age' of 18 but an 'emotional age' of 12.

'The teen never learned to say that you’re sorry if you hurt someone,' Miller said, according to the Star Telegram. 'If you hurt someone, you sent him money.'



State District Judge Jean Boyd appeared to agree with the defense.



Drunk: Couch's blood alcohol reading was .24 and he also had a Valium in his system when he killed four people and injured several more on June 15

Mad: Victim Breanna Mitchell's mother Marla Mitchell, said she was 'mad' about the sentence and embraced Alex Lumas, whose brother was paralyzed in the accident outside of court

She told the teen that he is responsible for what happened, but she said she didn't believe he would receive the therapy he needed in jail. If he violates the terms of his probation, he could be sent to prison for 10 years.

Defense attorneys asked that he be sent to a private rehabilitation home near Newport Beach, California, which costs an enormous $450,000 a year. His father said he'd foot the bill.

Prosecutors said the juvenile justice system also offered counseling.

Breanna's mother, Marla Mitchell, said she was 'mad' about the sentence and embraced the families of the other victims outside of the courtroom.

'He'll be feeling the hand of God, definitely,' she told WFAA.com. 'He may think he got away with something, but he hasn't gotten away with anything.'

Alex Lumas, whose brother was paralyzed in the accident, was also in disbelief at the probation.

'To me, it's not right,' he said.



However, the widow of one of the victims looked at the defendant in the courtroom and said, 'Ethan, we forgive you,' which caused Couch to swallowed hard and tear up a bit.

Victims: Breanna Mitchell, and Brian Jennings, 41, were both killed in the horrific crash

Killed: Hollie Boyles, 52, and her daughter, Shelby Boyles, 21, were helping out the driver of a broken down SUV when they were struck and killed by Couch's out-of-control pickup

Couch's family did not comment on the sentence and the teen wasn't allowed to go home with his parents. He will remain at a detention center until Boyd decided whether he can go to the plush California facility.

The teen admitted he was the driver of the pickup truck that crashed and started a chain reaction of car crashes and said he and seven friends had been drinking for hours before the June 15 wreck.



Some of them were even caught on surveillance video stealing two cases of beer from a nearby Walmart in the hours prior to the horrific smash.



Couch was charged with four counts of intoxication manslaughter as well as two counts of intoxication assault, according to the Tarrant County district attorney's office.

In September, he appeared with his lawyers for a detention hearing and was released to his parents on the condition that he wear an ankle monitor that allowed officials to keep track of him.

At around 11:45 p.m on June 15, Couch and a group his friends who were all drunk, got into a red Ford F350 pick-up and were barreling down Burleson-Retta Road in southern Tarrant County when the truck left the road.

Killed: Brian Jennings, 41, was parked on the side of the road when Ethan Couch's pickup truck drove into him and three others



Scene: 911 callers described cars everywhere and kids' lying in ditches' after the June 15 smash

Injured: Sergio Molina remains in a coma whilst Soliman Mohmand, right, was seriously injured. They were both riding in Couch's truck when the cash occured

As it careered out of control, it clipped a broken down SUV, throwing the owner and four good Samaritans, who were trying to help, 60 yards in the air. They were all killed on impact.

It was revealed soon after that Couch's blood-alcohol level was 0.24 - three times the adult limit, though minors aren't allowed any alcohol in their system - and that his truck was traveling up to 70 mph when it started the chain reaction of crashes.

The impact flung the four people 50 to 60 yards, authorities reported.

Jennings, a Burleson youth minister, had stopped to help Mitchell, whose vehicle had a flat tire, and Boyles and her daughter had come out of their nearby house to assist. The SUV and all four victims were standing off the roadway.

The red pickup then hit Mr Jennings' parked Silverado pickup with two boys inside.

Couch's red pickup flew up into the air, flipped and crashed into a tree.

None of the teens in the red truck were wearing seat belts, investigators said.

They had earlier stolen a couple of cases of beer from a Walmart in Burleson about an hour before the crash and prior to that, they had tried unsuccessfully to buy alcohol at a convenience store.

Tragic: Jennings, pictured second from left, was a father of three and a youth minister in Burleson

Crash: One of four vehicles involved in the crash was sent flying into a tree

The theft was recorded by store security cameras.

The group had only traveled two blocks when their speeding vehicle came off the road and clipped the broken-down SUV.

Soliman Mohmand and Sergio Molina were seriously injured and remains in a coma with a traumatic brain injury.

His medical bills have exceeded $600,000 and could climb into the millions if Mr Molina needs permanent round-the-clock care. His parents are now suing Couch and his family for up to $20 million in a separate lawsuit.

The Silverado was pushed into a Volkswagen Beetle, which was being driven by Ashlyn Evans, 18.

She and her 14-year-old passenger were also injured.

Prosecutors chose not to pursue adult charges but to try the driver as a juvenile and to seek a 'determinate sentence.'

June's car crash wasn't the first time underage drinking had got Couch in trouble.



In February of this year, in the town Lakeside, northwest of Fort Worth, police found Couch with a 12-ounce can of beer and a 1.75-liter bottle of vodka in the early hours and gave him two citations - one for being a minor in possession of alcohol, the other for consuming alcohol as a minor.