Charges dropped against Georgia teens involved in accident that killed teacher

Prosecutors dropped charges Friday against Georgia teens whose prank and accident left their teacher dead. 

The family of the dead teacher, Jason Hughes, who worked at North Hall High School in Gainesville, Georgia, 50 miles northeast of Atlanta, asked that the charges be dropped after the incident. The family’s statement noted that Hughes loved his students and would not want the tragedy of his death to cause the ruination of their lives.

Hughes, 40, died March 6 after students showed up to festoon his house with toilet paper. Hughes knew they were going to prank him and went out to greet them, but ended up slipping and falling into the road, where he was struck by a vehicle driven by one of the students.

The driver, Jayden Wallace, 18, was charged with first-degree vehicular homicide and reckless driving. He and the four other students involved, Aiden Hucks, Ana Luque, Ariana Cruz and Elijiah Owens, also faced charges of littering on private property and criminal trespass.

In a statement, Hall County District Attorney Lee Darragh said Hughes “lost his footing and fell under the side of the truck, out of the view of Wallace” and that “there is no evidence that Wallace was speeding or driving erratically; in fact, Wallace was able to bring his vehicle to a complete stop within a short distance, and the students began rendering aid,” according to Gainesville’s WDUN radio station.

Mr. Darragh did call for an end to the pranking tradition that led to Hughes’ death, according to WDUN.

Jayden’s attorney, Graham McKinnon, said in a statement that the teen and his family “want to thank Laura Hughes for her remarkable compassion and spirit of forgiveness in the face of the tremendous loss of her husband, Jason Hughes. Jayden is still grieving deeply but is determined to move forward eventually to live a life that would make Jason Hughes proud,” according to Atlanta’s WSB-TV.

Ms. Hughes is also a teacher at North Hall High School.