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The wife of a Georgia high school teacher who died after what authorities described as a late-night senior prank gone wrong has asked for all charges to be dropped against the students involved.
Five North Hall High students were arrested after going to math teacher Jason Hughes’ Gainesville home armed with toilet paper to carry out a long-standing prank tradition. Hughes, 40, was the intended target Thursday night.
As the group tried to leave in two separate vehicles, Hughes was walking toward the street when he tripped and fell into the slippery roadway, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office said. He was then run over by a car driven by 18-year-old Jayden Ryan Wallace.
Rather than an angry confrontation, the father of two was “excited and waiting to catch them in the act,” his wife, Laura, told The New York Times.
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“This is a terrible tragedy, and our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students,” Hughes said. “This would be counter to Jason’s lifelong dedication of investing in the lives of these children.”
The Hugheses were both teachers at the public school and devoted their lives to teaching. According to the New York Post, the prank had evolved into an ongoing battle where students lost “points” if the teacher caught them in the act.
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Wallace and the other teens stopped and attempted to help Hughes while waiting for first responders. The teacher later died from his injuries.
Wallace faces felony charges of first-degree vehicular homicide and reckless driving, along with misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass and littering on private property. The other 18-year-olds, identified by police as Elijah Tate Owens, Aiden Hucks, Ana Katherine Luque and Ariana Cruz, were also arrested at the scene and charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass and littering on private property.
Jail records show that Wallace was arrested on Saturday and has a total bond of $1,950. All five students have since been released on bond, court records show. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office for comment on Laura Hughes’ statements.
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Along with being a math teacher at the high school, the school’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes posted on its Facebook that Hughes was also a golf coach at the school.
In a statement to FOX 5, the school said: “Our hearts are broken. Jason Hughes was a loving husband, a devoted father; a passionate teacher, mentor, and coach who was loved and respected by students and colleagues. He gave so much to so many in numerous ways. Our hearts and prayers go out to his wife and family. We ask that the media and the public respect their privacy as they grieve.”
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In a GoFundMe, a family friend asked for funds to help with future planning for his two children.
“Jason’s life was a blessing to so many, and his untimely passing will be indescribably difficult for his wife and two young boys for years to come,” the fundraiser said.
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