A high school teacher in the U.S. state of Georgia died in a tragic accident after a prank by his students went wrong outside his home.
Jason Hughes, 40, had come outside to surprise a group of students who were throwing toilet paper into trees in his yard as part of a common prank known as “TP-ing.” According to police, Hughes slipped and fell on the wet ground because it had been raining.
As the students panicked and tried to drive away in two cars, Hughes was accidentally run over by one of the vehicles. He was later taken to a hospital but died from his injuries.
The driver, 18-year-old Jayden Ryan Wallace, has been charged with vehicular homicide, along with additional charges of criminal trespass and littering. Four other students involved in the prank, all 18 years old, also face charges related to trespassing and littering.
Authorities said Wallace and two other students stopped immediately after the accident and tried to help Hughes before emergency responders arrived.
Despite the charges, Hughes’ family says they do not want the students punished. His wife, Laura Hughes, who also works as a teacher at the same school, told the New York Times that her husband was loved by his students and had actually known about the prank beforehand.
She said Hughes had been waiting excitedly to catch the students in the act, planning to surprise them.
Laura Hughes said the family hopes the charges will be dropped because they do not want the tragedy to ruin the lives of the students involved. She explained that her husband dedicated his life to supporting young people, and pursuing harsh punishment would go against his values.
A spokesperson for the local school district described Hughes as a passionate teacher, mentor and coach who was respected and loved by both students and colleagues. Members of the community have since created a memorial outside the school where he taught and coached, leaving flowers to honor his memory.
