Beloved Teacher Tragically Killed After High School Toilet-Papering Tradition Goes Terribly Wrong
- Math teacher Jason Hughes was tragically killed after being run over by a truck driven by one of five teenagers involved in a toilet-papering prank at his home.
Beloved math teacher Jason Hugheswas killed when a seemingly innocent toilet-papering tradition by five 18-year-old kids turned into a devastating tragedy.
The heartbreaking death came as Hughes, a 40-year-old teacher at North Hall High in Gainesville, Ga., heard a commotion outside his home at 11:30 p.m. March 5.
Hall County Sheriff's Office
The educator went out and spied three boys and two girls "rolling" toilet paper across the lawn in front of the home he shared with wife Laura, also a math teacher at the high school, and their two children.
Seeing they were spotted, the teens ran to their pickup followed by Hughes, say sources.
Hall County Sheriff's Office
Tragically, the pursuing teacher tripped and fell across the road and was run over by the fleeing truck driven by Jayden Wallace, says the Hall County Sheriff's Office.
Wallace and two other teens reportedly ran to Hughes and gave him aid until an emergency medical team arrived and took him to Northeast General Hospital, where the teacher sadly died hours later.
Wallace was charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, criminal trespass, and littering on private property and is being held on a $1,950 bond, The New York Post reported.
Hall County Sheriff's Office
The other youths — Elijah Owens, Aiden Hucks, Ana Katherine Luqueand Ariana Cruz— were arrested outside the teacher's home and charged with misdemeanor criminal trespass and littering, says a source.
Sadly, the death came as part of a yearly prank tradition where high school students reportedly got points for toilet papering a teacher's house.
Wallace has expressed his "deepest sorrow" for the death in a public statement, saying, per the Post : "I pledge to live out the remainder of my life in a manner that honors the memory of Coach Hughes by exemplifying Christ. He will never be forgotten."
His family says: "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."
Devastated widow Laura Hughes has called for charges to be dropped, saying: "This is a terrible tragedy, and 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."
District Attorney Lee Darraghnotes the charges were brought before his office was contacted and could drop them.
"I have talked with the family," he told WSB-TV . "Their request to drop the charges will be given great deference … I will be reviewing the evidence … and will be deciding soon."
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