The Northeastern Judicial Circuit District Attorney says he will dismiss all criminal charges against five teenagers after an incident that left a North Hall High School teacher and coach dead last week.
District Attorney Lee Darragh issued a statement on Friday morning, Mar. 13, calling the incident, which happened the previous Friday, Mar. 6, a tragedy. The Hall County Sheriff’s Office reported that the teens were rolling Jason Hughes’ home with toilet paper when Hughes, who Darragh said expected his home to be rolled, spotted them and approached the students’ pickup trucks.
One of the trucks was driven by Jayden Wallace, age 18.
“Wallace attempted to drive away, and Coach Hughes lost his footing and fell under the side of the truck, out of the view of Wallace,” Darragh said. “There is no evidence that Wallace was speeding or driving erratically; in fact, Wallace was able to bring his vehicle to a complete stop within a short distance, and the students began rendering aid to Coach Hughes.”
Wallace was initially charged by the Hall County Sheriff’s Office with felony homicide by vehicle, reckless driving, criminal trespassing and littering. The other four teens were each charged with trespassing and littering.
“While my Office concurs with law enforcement that probable cause existed for the charges brought against the five students, it is my legal opinion that there is insufficient evidence to prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt,” Darragh said.
Hughes’ family issued a statement earlier in the week, saying they did not want to see charges filed against Wallace. A petition started by community members on Change.org, also asking for the charges to be dropped, had more than 5,000 signatures as of Friday morning.
Darragh said those calls were heard by his office.
“Based on upon the evidence as well as the wishes of Coach Hughes’ family, my Office will exercise its discretion and dismiss all charges,” Darragh said.
Darragh did add that he believed the incident should serve as a warning against the traditional junior/senior prank wars that were reportedly the starting point of the incident.
“It is this District Attorney’s fervent hope that the potentially dangerous Junior/Senior Wars cease,” Darragh said. “It is our hope that the young students will use this opportunity to live thier lives in such a way to honor the memory of Coach Hughes, and we wish peace to his family.”