HALL COUNTY, Ga. — The family of a student charged in a prank that investigators say led to the death of a teacher is expressing “deep remorse” over the loss.
The Hall County Sheriff’s office said a group of teens went to North Hall High School teacher Jason Hughes’ home Friday night to roll the trees with toilet paper.
Investigators say Hughes came out of the home, and the teens went to leave, but Hughes tripped and fell into the street.
A truck ran over Hughes. Investigators say 18-year-old Jayden Wallace was driving. Wallace now faces charges of first-degree vehicular homicide. Four other teens face misdemeanor charges.
Read: Family of Georgia teacher, coach killed after prank says he wouldn’t want students charged
A family member of Wallace told Action News Jax’s Atlanta station WSB-TV that he and Hughes were close. The teacher’s family said he loved the students.
Wallace’s family released a statement to ABC News on Tuesday expressing remorse:
“We are a family 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.
Along with the rest of our family, Jay expresses his deepest sorrow and sincerest apology to the Hughes family: “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.”
Sincerely, Jayden, Jeremy and Kristen Wallace
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Hughes’ family said they would support dropping the charges against the students.
Hughes was a math teacher and golf coach at North Hall High School. A GoFundMe has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for his family.
Hall County District Attorney Lee Darragh shared a statement saying he was not consulted before the teens were charged.
“I have talked with the family on the phone, and will meet them in person soon. Their request to drop the charges will be given great deference. I was not consulted by law enforcement before these charges were leveled. I will be reviewing the evidence as I should and will be deciding soon,” he wrote.
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