Teen Charged with Killing Teacher in Prank Gone Wrong Speaks Out
The 18-year-old teenager facing first-degree vehicular homicide charges after his teacher was killed in a prank gone horribly wrong is breaking his silence.
On Friday night in Gainesville, Ga, five teenagers drove to the home of local teacher Jason Hughes, 40, for a toilet paper prank. Per CBS News, citing the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, Hughes exited the home as the teens got into two vehicles, after TP-ing the property. He then slipped and fell into the road—which was slick from the rain—where he was allegedly struck by one of the vehicles.
Jayden Ryan Wallace, 18, was named as the driver of the truck that hit Hughes. He and the other teens reportedly stayed at the scene and administered first aid until help arrived; the teacher was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Wallace was later charged with first-degree vehicular homicide and reckless driving. He and the other four teens involved were also charged with criminal trespass and littering. All five have since been released on bond, while the family of the victim has asked for all charges to be dropped, claiming Hughes knew about and was “excited” to see it play out.
In a statement on Tuesday to CNN, via WCNC, Wallace said he pledges “to live out the remainder of my life in a manner that honors the memory of Coach Hughes by exemplifying Christ.“ He then added, “He will never be forgotten.”
The teen's family also released a separate statement, in which they said they were all “in deep remorse and grieving over such a tremendous loss in our North Hall community.”
“Jason Hughes meant the world to our son, Jayden. He took the time to invest in Jay and poured his love into him, making a lasting impact,” they continued. “Along with the rest of our family, Jay expresses his deepest sorrow and sincerest apology to the Hughes family.”
Hughes' Family Asks for Mercy
The victim's family has called the incident a “terrible tragedy,” one they hope won't ruin the lives of the students due to the charges they're facing.
“We are thankful for the outpouring of prayers and support as we grieve the loss of Jason,” Hughes’ wife and other family members said in a statement provided to the New York Timesand Fox 5 Atlanta earlier this week. Hughes, they added, knew of the prank beforehand and “was excited and waiting to catch them in the act,” before his fall.
“We ask that you continue to pray for our family and also for the students involved in the accident along with their families. Please join us in extending grace and mercy to them as Christ has done for us,” the statement continued, adding that they support “getting the charges dropped for all involved.”
“This is a terrible tragedy, and our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students," they concluded. “This would be counter to Jason’s lifelong dedication of investing in the lives of these children.”
Hughes is survived by his wife and two sons; a GoFundMe has been setup in their honor.