Georgia high school teacher Jason Hughes, 40,  was killed last Friday, March 6. Hughes fell victim to a prank that turned fatal that night as 5 teenagers engaged in a toilet papering Hughes’ home.

As Hughes stepped out onto the lawn, he slipped on the slick ground due to the rain, causing him to fall out into the road. When the students tried to make an escape, one of the drivers, Jayden Ryan Wallace, 18,  inadvertently ran over Hughes. Wallace, along with the other students, rushed to assist Hughes before emergency vehicles arrived.

Wallace was officially charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, and reckless driving (which could be up to 15 years in prison). The four other teens, Elija Owens, Aiden Hucks, Ana Katherine Luque, and Ariana Cruz, were also charged with criminal charges and littering on private property.

Wallace claimed the students feared they’d lose points if they were “caught” by the teacher, so they had rushed to leave. Wallace is currently held on a $1,900 bond.

Although the teacher’s family pledged for the charges to be dropped, Hughes’ wife, Laura Hughes, said that he was loved by many students. Noting how Hughes was involved in previous pranks, she stated “This is a terrible tragedy, and our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students,” she said to The New York Post.

Hughes was a math teacher and an athletic coach for his school’s football team. He also led a bible study for the coaching staff, and he participated in a student mentoring and community service program (NG3). His death has taken a toll on his hometown of Gainesville, Georgia.