December 18, 2013

DA tries again to put drunken teen behind bars

Source: Seattle PI - Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — North Texas prosecutors are trying again to put a teen behind bars who was sentenced last week to 10 years' probation after acknowledging he killed four pedestrians while driving drunk.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram (http://bit.ly/JEXZpn ) reports Tarrant County District Attorney Joe Shannon is asking a juvenile judge to put 16-year-old Ethan Couch behind bars on two cases of intoxication assault that he says are still pending before the court.

Read more: http://www.seattlepi.com/news/texas/article/DA-tries-again-to-put-drunken-teen-behind-bars-5072957.php

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Star-Telegram.com
Tarrant prosecutors try again to put drunken teen driver behind bars

FORT WORTH — A 16-year-old sentenced last week to 10 years’ probation after acknowledging that he killed four people while driving drunk could still serve time if a last-ditch effort by prosecutors is successful.

Tarrant County District Attorney Joe Shannon is asking a juvenile judge to put the driver, Ethan Couch, behind bars on two counts of intoxication assault that he says are still pending before the court.

Two teens riding in the back of Couch’s pickup on the night of the fatal crash suffered critical injuries. One, Sergio Molina, is paralyzed and can communicate only by blinking, according to testimony in last week’s trial.

“During his recent trial, the 16-year-old admitted his guilt in four cases of intoxication manslaughter and two cases of intoxication assault,” Shannon said in an email to the Star-Telegram. “There has been no verdict formally entered in the two intoxication assault cases. Every case deserves a verdict.

“The district attorney’s office is asking the court to incarcerate the teen on the two intoxication assault cases.”

Link - http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/12/17/v-print/5426823/tarrant-prosecutors-try-again.html?rh=1