Beer Pong Video Could Sink Infamous 'Affluenza' Teen

Teen whose wealth helped him avoid prison could be violating his probation
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 4, 2015 1:14 PM CST
Beer Pong Video Could Sink Infamous 'Affluenza' Teen
A video allegedly showing infamous Texas affluenza teen Ethan Couch playing beer pong in violation of his probation.   (Twitter)

The Texas teen who famously cited "affluenza" in a successful bid to skirt prison time after killing four people in a drunk driving crash is once again facing possible incarceration, after a 6-second video allegedly showing him playing beer pong surfaced on Twitter this week. The tweet from @BlondeSpectre read, "ya boy ethan couch violating probation. i got more if you want." The City of Burleson and Tarrant County District Attorney's Office were tagged in the tweet, the Houston Chronicle reports. Courthouse News Service recounts Couch's 2013 crime: killing four—including a mother and daughter and a youth pastor—when he crashed into a stalled vehicle while speeding with a BAC of 0.24.

He faced up to 20 years in prison but was given 10 years probation instead after a psychologist testified he suffered from affluenza and that his family didn't recognize any connection between behavior and consequences. As part of Couch's probation, he is not allowed to drive, drink, or use drugs, the Chronicle reports. According to the Dallas Morning News, the district attorney's office is investigating the video, and Couch—now 18—could get up to 10 years in prison if he's found to be in violation of his probation. "He's allowed due process at every level," a sheriff's office spokesperson says. "[Cases] are not prosecuted or revoked or modified based on hearsay or based on a grainy video that we can’t identify someone in." (Meanwhile, Couch's father is also in legal trouble for allegedly impersonating a police officer and is scheduled to appear in court Friday.)

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