The family ofJason Hughes, a Georgia teacherwho died after a prank went awry, is urging authorities to drop criminal charges against the teenagers involved. They said Hughes would not have wanted their lives ruined by the tragic incident.

​On 6 March, five Gainesville teens wrapped trees outside of Jason Hughes' home with toilet paper in a senior prank considered a 'tradition.' When Hughes stepped out of his home, the teens fled in two separate vehicles, one of which was a pickup truck driven by 18-year-old Jayden Ryan Wallace.

​As Hughes slipped onto the road,Wallace's pickup truck struck and ran him over, according to the police. The police said this happened at around 11:40 p.m. The teens rushed to administer first aid to the teacher until emergency responders got to the scene, but Hughes later died in hospital.

​Apart from Wallace, other Gainesville teens involved were Elijah Tate Owens, Aiden Hucks, Ana Katherine Luque, Ariana Cruz, all 18. They were all arrested at the scene and face criminal charges.

​Wallace, who was driving the vehiclethat had struck and run over Hughes, was charged with first-degree vehicular homicide and reckless driving, and all five of them with criminal trespass and littering on private property, according to the Sheriff's office.​

​Laura Hughes, Jason Hughes' wife, toldThe New York Timesher husband was expecting the students as they were coming to pull the prank. He said he 'was excited and waiting to catch them in the act,' and wasn't planning a confrontation.

NEW: Family of teacher killed in prank gone wrong wants charges against the teens dropped because he loved them and was excited to join the prankFive teenagers were arrested after teacher Jason Hughes, 40, was run over when he slipped outside his Gainesville, Georgia, home…pic.twitter.com/xU37y6nuMp

​Laura, who also teaches at North Hall, said her husband loved the students involved, and that the family 'supports getting the charges dropped for all involved.'

​The family said the incident was a devastating tragedy, and they hope to prevent another one that could derail the students' futures. Laura said, ''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,' she added.

Source: International Business Times UK