Teen charged over teacher’s death after ‘harmless’ prank gone wrong made eerie post online
The teenager who was charged with the death of a beloved Georgia high school teacher, had previously posted a questionable message on social media.
Last Thursday (5 March), a group of five teenagers took it upon themselves to prank one of their teachers, Jason Hughes, by draping toilet paper across his trees.
It's a common prank in the US, but what happened next at the home in Gainesville, Georgia, wasn't in the script.
Hughes, whose wife said he was 'excited' to catch his students in the act, ran out of his house but fell into the road due to the rainy conditions, as the teens tried to speed off in cars.
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He was then run over by a pick-up truck, which was being driven by high school student Jayden Wallace.
Wallace then stopped with two other teens, attempting to provide aid to the teacher until first responders arrived at the scene - though it would be too late.
Hughes would die in hospital, leaving behind a wife and two young sons, while all five teenagers involved in the prank were charged.
Details behind the prank and its involvement in a 'junior/senior' war at school, was soon explained by police, who found a social media account listing the rules behind all pranks.
As for Wallace, he was charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, criminal trespass, and littering on private property.
The teen is being held on a $1,950 bond according to jail records viewed by The New York Post, while the other four, Elijah Tate Owens, Aiden Hucks, Ana Katherine Luque, and Ariana Cruz - all 18, were arrested and charged with criminal trespass and littering.
Wallace though, now faces three to 15 years in prison, despite Hughes' wife, Laura, stating that she is looking to have the charges dropped to avoid 'ruining the lives of these students'.
The teenager previously posted a message in relation to his Christian faith on social media, repeating Bible verse Romans 10:9.
Wallace wrote: “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
He faces the most serious charges of the suspects involved in the teacher's death, as Cruz also shared her devotion to Christianity on her Instagram account, which could also be seen through a post documenting her travels to the Dominican Republic on a religious mission.
The group were found to have bright futures ahead, though their participation in the prank war may have cost them, if found guilty.
A statement on Facebook from the Hall County School District issued a warning to parents about pranks during the spring prom season, just hours before Hughes' death.
"In previous years, some pranks during prom season - sometimes referred to as Junior/Senior Wars - have gone too far, resulting in damage to property," it began.
They went on: "We urge all students to refrain from participating in any activities that may cause harm or destruction to school or personal property. Such actions not only reflect poorly on the individual involved but also tarnish the reputation of our schools, families, and community."
The teacher's home was a target for the prank war as carrying out a stunt a teacher's house was worth 'two points' according to last year's rule set, as both Hughes and his wife were teachers at North Hall High School.
Apparently, students lost points if they were 'caught' by the teacher, which is could be why Hughes ended up being run over by Wallace in his pickup truck, according to the Hall County Sheriff’s Office.
The late teacher's wife, Laura Hughes, said that her family fully 'supports getting the charges dropped for all involved', explaining: “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.”
Topics: US News, Crime, Social Media
Joshua Nair