Father of 'affluenza' Teen strangled his girlfriend... Flees as cops are called to his home

Etan Couch, remember him? 
The so called 'affluenza' teen who  received a 'slap on the wrist' probation after killing four people in a drunk driving accident in 2013. He claimed the family spoilt him 'rotten', he couldn't  tell right from wrong

The family is in the news again. Etan's father Fred Couch, fled the scene before the police arrived, as the cops were called to his home after a woman claiming to be his girlfriend reported he had choked her. The police were unable to file any charges as the woman later refused to cooperate 

Fred Couch had served jail time and two years' probation for assault back in 1999. The son gained notoriety for using an 'affluenza' defense during his trial following a fatal drunken-driving wreck, arguing that his wealthy parents coddled him into a sense of irresponsibility.

 Affluenza father. Like father like son. Fred Couch in police mug shot following an arrest for assault in 1999.

 

When Tarrant County sheriff's deputies responded to a call at Fred Couch's house from a woman who said she was his girlfriend and had been choked.'Deputies saw she had some redness around her neck, potential choke marks,' Sheriff Dee Anderson told The Associated Press. The woman refused to allow the deputies to take crime scene photographs and sped off in a car during questioning. Anderson said that without further cooperation from the alleged victim, there was not enough evidence to charge Couch. Authorities have been unable to locate Fred Couch, who left before the deputies arrived.

Couch (pictured collecting his belt after clearing security at his son's trial in 2014) also faced allegations in 2009 that he sexually harassed a female employee and inappropriately touched her, according to court records. The case settled on undisclosed terms a year later

Photo: AP

 

Fred Couch has a history of legal run-ins, according to an AP review of police and court records found last month. In 1999, Couch was arrested for assault and eventually served a few days in jail and two years' probation. Police said he had punched a supervisor for a contracting firm that hired his roofing and construction company after the man had told his workers to stop using an unsafe table saw.

'Affluenza' Ethan pictured in his mugshots after being taken into custody in Mexico in December. He reportedly racked up a huge tab at a strip club, he was he was forced to hand over his Rolex to settle the bill.  A hearing this month will determine if he should be transferred to adult court, where he could be punished more severely.

Couch faced allegations in 2009 that he sexually harassed a female employee and inappropriately touched her, according to court records. The case settled on undisclosed terms a year later. And in September 2014, he was charged with falsely identifying himself as an officer for a suburban Fort Worth police department. In November, police responded to a call from a woman who said she was Couch's girlfriend and alleged that he had abused her.

 

 Ethan's mother Tonya Couch (left), appears in Los Angeles Superior court for an extradition hearing January 5

Photo: Getty

Ethan Couch was sentenced in juvenile court in 2013 to ten years on probation after four people were killed when a pickup truck he was driving swerved off the road and crashed.Ethan 16 at the time, had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit.

Ethan Couch and his mother Tonya Couch fled the U.S. in December 2015, as Texas prosecutors investigated whether he violated his probation. They were apprehended at a Mexican resort city and sent back to Texas in January, this year.

Ethan is in county jail awaiting a February 19 hearing to determine if he should be transferred to adult court, where he could be punished more severely. His mother is under house arrest on charges of hindering the apprehension of a felon. 

Courtesy: dailymail