Charges dropped against teens whose teacher died during toilet paper prank

The five teenagers whose teacher died during a fatal practical joke will not be prosecuted over the death, a district attorney in the US state of Georgia has said.

The teen driver faced homicide and trespassing charges after Jason Hughes, 40, was inadvertently run over during a toilet paper prank at his home. The four others faced lesser misdemeanour charges.

The teacher's family had asked for the charges to be dropped to "prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students".

A lawyer for the driver thanked the family for their compassion and forgiveness, saying he was determined "to live a life that would make Jason Hughes proud", according to the BBC's US partner, CBS News.

The maths teacher had known the students were going to prank him and emerged from his home hoping to catch them in the act and surprise them as they tossed toilet paper over trees during their senior prank, police said.

But Hughes tripped and fell on the ground which was slick from rain. As the students tried to flee in two separate cars, he was inadvertently run over by the driver of one of the cars, police said.

Jayden Ryan Wallace,18, the student who had been driving a pickup truck that hit Hughes, and two others stopped to try to help Hughes before emergency responders arrived and took him to hospital, the sheriff's office said.

Hall County District Attorney Lee Darragh confirmed to BBC News on Friday that the charges had been dismissed but declined to further comment.

Officials, according to CBS News, said charges had not been formally filed.

Laura Hughes, Jason Hughes' wife, an instructor at the same secondary school, had previously said that she fully supported having all charges against the students dropped.

She also said that her husband, a father-of-two, was beloved by the students, knew about the prank and "was excited and waiting to catch them in the act".

"This is a terrible tragedy, and our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students," she told the New York Times.

"This would be counter to Jason's lifelong dedication of investing in the lives of these children."

She also said that her family was thankful for the outpouring of prayers and support as they grieved the loss.

"We ask that you continue to pray for our family and also for the students involved in the accident along with their families," they said in a statement to CBS. "Please join us in extending grace and mercy to them as Christ has done for us."

Wallace's attorney told CBS that the teen was "still grieving deeply" but was "determined to move forward eventually to live a life that would make Jason Hughes proud".

"I pledge to live out the remainder of my life in a manner that honours the memory of Coach Hughes by exemplifying Christ," Jayden Wallace said. "He will never be forgotten."