A beloved North Hall High School math teacher and coach is dead after a late-night toilet-papering prank at his home turned fatal, leaving a tight-knit Georgia community in mourning and one student facing felony charges.
Deputies were called around 11:40 p.m. Friday, March 6, to the 4400 block of North Gate Drive in Gainesville after receiving reports that a man had been run over by a vehicle. Jason Hughes, 40, was taken by Hall County Fire Rescue to Northeast Georgia Medical Center, where he later died.
Investigators say 18-year-old Jayden Ryan Wallace and four other people went to Hughes' home and "rolled" his trees with toilet paper. The group got into two vehicles when Hughes came outside. As Wallace began driving his pickup truck on North Gate Drive, Hughes tripped and fell into the road and was run over by the vehicle.
Wallace and the others stopped and attempted to help Hughes until first responders arrived. He was arrested at the scene.
Wallace is charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, criminal trespass, and littering. The four other students - Elijah Tate Owens, Aiden Hucks, Ana Katherine Luque, and Ariana Cruz - each face misdemeanor charges of criminal trespass and littering.
Hughes had taught math at North Hall High for eight years. He also served as the school's golf coach and assistant coach for baseball and football. His wife, Laura, also teaches math at the school. He was a father of two young boys.
The fatal incident came just two days after the Hall County School District warned students about prom season pranks that had "gone too far" in previous years.
The Hall County School District released the following statement:
"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. He gave so much to so many in numerous ways. Our hearts and prayers go out to his wife and family. We ask that the media and the public respect their privacy as they grieve this incredible loss."
— Hall County School District
A GoFundMe fundraiser established for Hughes' family has raised more than $181,000. A memorial of flowers has grown outside North Hall High School, where students and staff gathered Saturday to grieve together.
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