ATLANTA — A Georgia prosecutor has decided to drop charges against a teenager who police say was driving the truck that struck and killed a beloved high school teacher when a prank turned deadly, the teen’s lawyer said. The victim’s family had urged authorities not to compound the tragedy by prosecuting the teen driver and his friends.
The 40-year-old teacher, Jason Hughes, died after slipping and falling into the street as the teens started to drive away after participating in a community tradition of pranking teachers by throwing toilet paper onto his front lawn.
The students had stopped and rendered aid to Hughes until emergency responders arrived. Hughes was brought to the hospital and died on March 6, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office said.
Jayden Ryan Wallace – the 18-year-old driver, whom his lawyer said adored Hughes and considered him a mentor – was arrested on a felony charge of vehicular homicide, and four other teens were charged with misdemeanors.
Graham McKinnon, a lawyer who represents Wallace, said Friday that the charges against his client had been dropped. McKinnon said that prosecutors also dropped misdemeanor charges against the four other teens who were there.
The students had gone to Hughes’ home around 11:40 p.m. on March 6 and began wrapping his trees with toilet paper, the sheriff’s office said. The teens started to leave when Hughes came outside – his family said he had heard in advance about the prank and hoped to surprise them.
McKinnon said Wallace and his friends were playing a “competitive game” that has long been a tradition at North Hall High School.
“In the end, there was no crime – only an extremely sad and devastating accident,” McKinnon said in a statement.
Vehicular homicide charges, he said, didn’t make sense because Jaden didn’t use his car unsafely or improperly.
“Jaden is still grieving deeply, but he’s determined eventually to carry on and live his life in a way that would make Coach Hughes proud.”
Hughes – who taught math and helped coach golf, football and baseball at North Hall High School in Gainesville – was a “mentor” to Wallace, McKinnon said.
“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,” Wallace said in a statement released by his family on Wednesday.
Hughes’ family had issued a statement earlier this week saying he knew and loved the five students involved and urging authorities to drop all charges against them.
“This is a terrible tragedy, and our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students,” Hughes’ family said. “This would be counter to Jason’s lifelong dedication of investing in the lives of these children.”
