The Georgia high school teacher who was killed in a horrific prank gone wrong knew students were coming to his house — and was excited to catch them in the act, his heartbroken family revealed.
Jason Hughes, 40, was killed after he slipped outside his home and was run over by one of his students as part of a “prank war” that had been a school tradition for years in Gainesville, Georgia.
“Jason knew the students were coming and he was excited and waiting to ‘catch them’ in the act” of toilet papering his front yard, according to a family statement posted by family friend Erick Erickson, wrote on X.
“There was no ‘confrontation’” before his death, the statement said, and his family is calling on local authorities to drop all charges.
In the kids’ hurried bid to flee, one of them – Jayden Wallace – allegedly ran Hughes over in his pickup truck, the Hall County Sheriff’s Office said.
The horrified teens stopped to check on Hughes and provided first aid until emergency responders arrived and took him to the hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Wallace and his accused co-pranksters, Elijiah Owens, Aiden Hucks, Ana Katherine Luque and Ariana Cruz, all 18, were arrested outside Hughes’ home and charged with criminal trespass and littering.
Wallace now faces up to 15 years behind bars for vehicular homicide in the teacher’s death.
Hughes’ widow is arguing that it’s not what the late educator would want.
His family “fully supports getting the charges dropped for all involved,” said Laura Hughes, who is a math teacher at the same high school, according to a statement.
“This is a terrible tragedy, and our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students,” said Laura.
“This would be counter to Jason’s lifelong dedication of investing in the lives of these children.”
Additionally, the family asked the community to extend “mercy” to the students, according to a statement obtained by local news outlet AccessWDUN.
“Our family wants to thank the Hall County community for the outpouring of prayers and support and the respect for our privacy as we grieve the loss of Jason. 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 mercy to them as Christ has done for us,” the statement from Laura read, as reported by the outlet.
The accident came hours after school officials warned juniors and seniors to end the annual prank war because students had taken things “too far” in previous years.
“Our hearts are broken. Jason Hughes was a loving husband, a devoted father, a passionate teacher, mentor, and coach who was loved and respected by students and colleagues,” the school district superintendent Will Schofield told The Post.
“He gave so much to so many in numerous ways. Our hearts and prayers go out to his wife and family,” he wrote in a statement.
Schofield said that students led a memorial for Hughes at the high school Monday morning, and he anticipated “numerous other opportunities to grieve and show support for the Hughes’ family in the hours and days ahead.”