Georgia high school teacher Jason Hughes, 40, was killed by a vehicle outside his Gainesville home on Friday, March 6
Credit: Jason Hughes/Facebook
NEED TO KNOW
• Jayden Ryden Wallace’s parents shared their “deep remorse” over the death of his teacher, Jason Hughes, after he was allegedly struck and killed by the teenager’s truck on Friday, March 6
• Wallace, 18, has been charged with first-degree vehicular homicide in connection with the death of Hughes. Hughes’ family have called for the charges against Wallace and four other teens to be dropped
• The 18-year-old also shared his own statement on the tragedy and said his teacher “will never be forgotten”
Jayden Ryden Wallace, the high school student charged in the death of his teacher in a prom season prank gone wrong, and his family are speaking out for the first time since the tragedy.
Wallace’s parents said in a statement released by the family's attorney to CNN on Tuesday, March 10, that they feel “deep remorse” over the death of math teacher Jason Hughes, 40, who was allegedly fatally struck by the truck of 18-year-old Wallace outside his Gainesville home on Friday, March 6.
The teen, who faces three to 15 years in prison if convicted, also said in his own statement to CNN, per NBC affiliate WXIA-TV, "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."
“We are a family in deep remorse and grieving over such a tremendous loss in our North Hall community,” the teen’s parents said in a statement obtained by CNN, per WXIA-TV. “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,” his parents concluded of Hughes, who was a father of two young boys.
Credit: Hall County Sheriff’s Office
Hughes, a teacher and golf coach at North Hall High School in Gainesville, Ga., died after he “tripped and fell into the road and was run over” by the truck of an 18-year-old, who was pulling a toilet papering prank along with four other teenagers, according to the Hall County Sheriff's Office.
Wallace was charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, a felony, reckless driving and a misdemeanor. The four other teens — Elijah Owens, Aiden Hucks, Ana Luque and Ariana Cruz, all 18 — were charged with misdemeanor counts of criminal trespassing and littering.
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Credit: gofundme
The statements from Wallace and his family come after Hughes’ family called for the charges against him and the other teens to be dropped.
The family said in a statement, per the Daily Mail, “There was no ‘confrontation.’ Jason knew the students were coming and he was excited and waiting to 'catch them' in the act. It had been raining and he accidentally slipped and fell into the road in front of the vehicle as they were driving away and was hit. The students immediately tried to provide aid until paramedics arrived.”
“Jason loved these students and they loved him too. Our family fully supports getting the charges dropped for all involved. This is a terrible tragedy, and our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students,” the statement continued.
“This would be counter to Jason's lifelong dedication of investing in the lives of these children. Our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students,” it added.
Matt Williams, a friend of Hughes, also told ABC News that Hughes and Wallace were close. “The family wants to make clear that they knew these kids and they loved them and these kids loved the Hughes’s," Williams said. "This was not a malicious act.”
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