The family of a Georgia high school teacher who died last week following a prank gone wrong at his home said they want the charges against the teenagers involved dropped.
Jason Hughes, who worked at North Hall High School as a math teacher, died Friday night after being run over by one of the teenagers involved in the prank. The Hall County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that the students “rolled” the trees outside the teacher’s residence with toilet paper and then got into two vehicles when Hughes, 40, exited the house and slipped.
The sheriff’s office said 18-year-old Jayden Ryan Wallace and four other people got into two vehicles and, as Wallace drove away, "Hughes tripped and fell into the road and was run over by the vehicle."
The teens stopped and attempted to help Hughes, authorities said. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
Hughes’ family said in a statement to NBC News that he knew the teens were coming to pull a prank on him and "was excited and waiting to catch them in the act."
Because it had been raining, Hughes slipped and fell into the road in front of the vehicle, the family said.
They said Hughes loved his students, "and they loved him too." The family went on to say that they fully support "getting the charges dropped for all involved” and called what happened “a terrible tragedy."
"Our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students. This would be counter to Jason’s lifelong dedication of investing in the lives of these children," the statement read.
The Hall County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday. The office previously said that the incident remains under investigation.
District Attorney Lee Darragh said: "It is much too early in this process. I’ll not be commenting until the closure of the case."
Hughes' family thanked the public for "the outpouring of prayers and support as we grieve the loss of Jason."
"We ask that you continue to pray for our family and also for the students involved in the accident along with their families," they said. "Please join us in extending grace and mercy to them as Christ has done for us."
Hughes' brother, Richard Hughes, said he was "an amazing person."
"He was my mentor and who I looked up to. It's just tragic and sad all around," he said in a phone call on Monday.
Wallace, 18, was charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, criminal trespass and littering, the sheriff's office said. The other four people involved have been charged with criminal trespass and littering.
