'Devoted father, passionate teacher' killed amid student prank. But victim's family calls for mercy over justice.



A Georgia high school teacher is dead after an alleged prank went terribly wrong, according to multiple reports. What's more, the teacher's passing came just a day after the school district warned students that previous pranks "have gone too far."

Jason Hughes was a math teacher at North Hall High School, according to the faculty page of the school's website.

'Jason’s life was a blessing to so many, and his untimely passing will be indescribably difficult for his wife and two young boys for years to come.'

Citing the Hall County Sheriff's Office, the New York Times reported that a group of teenagers drove on Friday night to Hughes' home in Gainesville, Georgia, which is about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta. The Times said the teens were "armed with rolls of toilet paper to toss over the trees as part of a good-natured prank."

"Their teacher knew it was coming and couldn’t wait to surprise his students," the Times said, adding that Hughes "slipped and fell into the street" because the "ground outside was slick from rain."

The Times said the group of five teens "jumped in their vehicles and started to drive away," but one of the students ran over Hughes, according to the sheriff's office.

NBC News named 18-year-old Jayden Ryan Wallace as the driver of the vehicle that allegedly hit Hughes.

"As Wallace began driving his pickup truck on North Gate Drive, Hughes tripped and fell into the road and was run over by the vehicle,” the sheriff’s office said, according to NBC News.

WAGA-TV reported that Wallace was charged with first-degree vehicular homicide and reckless driving. Wallace also faces misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass and littering on private property.

WAGA identified the four other suspects — all 18-year-olds — as Elijah Tate Owens, Aiden Hucks, Ana Katherine Luque, and Ariana Cruz. They all were charged with misdemeanor counts of criminal trespass and littering on private property.

All five teenagers were released on bond Sunday, the sheriff's office said.

RELATED: Career criminal with over 20-year-long rap sheet reportedly gets sweetheart plea deal — now a beloved teacher is dead

The day before Hughes' death, the Hall County School District specifically warned parents and students on social media about pranks that had previously "gone too far":

As we approach the eagerly awaited spring prom season, we want to take a moment to address an important matter regarding the conduct of our junior and senior students. While we understand that prom is a time for celebration and creating lasting memories, we must emphasize the importance of responsible behavior and respect for others and their property. In previous years, some pranks during prom season — sometimes referred to as Junior/Senior Wars — have gone too far, resulting in damage to property. We urge all students to refrain from participating in any activities that may cause harm or destruction to school or personal property. Such actions not only reflect poorly on the individual involved but also tarnish the reputation of our schools, families, and community. It's essential to recognize the serious consequences that can arise from engaging in destructive behavior. Damaging property can lead to criminal charges, not to mention the potential repercussions on your participation in graduation ceremonies and other special events planned for this time of year. We cannot stress enough the importance of making responsible choices and thinking about the long-term impact of your actions. As representatives of your schools, families, teams, clubs, and the Hall County School District, we trust that you will uphold the values of integrity and respect. Let's make this prom season a time of celebration, camaraderie, and positive memories for everyone involved. Thank you for your attention to this matter, and let's work together to ensure a safe and memorable prom season for all.

Wallace said in a Tuesday statement to WXIA that "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."

Wallace's family released the following statement:

We are a family in deep remorse and grieving over such a tremendous loss in our North Hall community. 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.

Instead of demanding criminal charges for the suspects, Hughes' family has called for mercy for the teens. The following is their statement obtained by WMAZ-TV:

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

Hall County District Attorney Lee Darragh told WSB-TV he talked to Hughes' family about potentially dropping the charges against the teens: "Their request to drop the charges will be given great deference. I was not consulted by law enforcement before these charges were leveled. I will be reviewing the evidence as I should and will be deciding soon."

Commenters on social media seemed largely supportive of the Hughes family’s wishes:

  • One person said, "I’m so glad this family is calling for the right justice in the midst of a terrible tragedy. I hope the state listens."
  • A Facebook commenter said, "I truly believe [it] all was a sad turn of events. If the family can forgive and know it was just that, why do we, as outsiders, want these kids to be further punished[?]"

A statement released by a school district spokesperson and obtained by WXIA-TV stated that "our hearts are broken."

"Jason Hughes was a loving husband, a devoted father, a passionate teacher, mentor, and coach who was loved and respected by students and colleagues," the press release states. "He gave so much to so many in numerous ways."

The statement adds that "our hearts and prayers go out to his wife and family."

According to a GoFundMe campaign, "Jason's life was a blessing to so many, and his untimely passing will be indescribably difficult for his wife and two young boys for years to come," the listing reads.

The crowdfunding campaign — which has raised nearly $475,000 as of Wednesday morning — is seeking donations "to assist his family with immediate expenses and a future college fund for his children."

The Hall County Sheriff’s Office did not immediately respond to Blaze News' request for comment.

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Video: Delivery driver found not guilty in shooting of YouTube prankster in mall food court



A jury found a delivery driver not guilty in the shooting of a YouTube prankster in a mall food court in Virginia.

On Thursday, a jury acquitted Alan Colie, 31, of aggravated malicious wounding and malicious shooting inside an occupied building in the shooting of 21-year-old Tanner Cook. The jury found Colie guilty of using a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Colie pleaded not guilty and said he was acting in self-defense. Colie has a license to carry a concealed weapon.

Since the April shooting, Colie has been incarcerated and will remain in jail. Colie is due back in court on Oct. 19.

On April 2, Cook and another individual approached Colie at the food court in the Dulles Town Center in Sterling, Virginia. Colie, a driver with DoorDash, was picking up a food order. Cook gets in the face of Colie and pushes a phone within inches of the delivery driver. The phone repeatedly plays an audio message: "Hey dips**t, quit thinking about my twinkle."

Video shows Colie retreating from the situation, swatting at the phone, and telling Cook to "stop" on three different occasions. However, Cook continues to pursue him. Suddenly, Colie pulls out a gun and shoots Cook.

As TheBlaze previously reported, Colie shot Cook, and the bullet punctured his stomach and liver. Cook has since been discharged from the hospital.

Prosecutor Eden Holmes said she didn't believe that Colie was in imminent danger and said he didn't act in self-defense.

"They were playing a silly phrase on a phone," Holmes said. "How could the defendant have found that he was reasonably in fear of imminent bodily harm?"

The bizarre encounter was part of a YouTube prank. Cook runs the "Classified Goons" YouTube channel that has more than 50,000 subscribers, and often engages in public confrontations with negative outcomes. The videos include fake vomiting on Uber drivers, taking people's groceries, breaking store merchandise in front of employees, and impersonating security guards.

Cook said he will continue to make "prank" videos on YouTube, which he earns as much as $3,000 a month.

Tanner's father, Jeramy Cook, told WUSA, "Right after this shooting, 'Saturday Night Live' reported on their Weekend Update that a YouTuber doing a prank video at a Virginia mall was shot, then paused, starred into the camera and said, 'Good.' Everyone laughed, so millions of people saw this and just went with it."

The father added, "So is it open season on YouTubers even if they don't touch or talk to you. It's cool to just shoot them no matter what the facts are?"

"Mob is more important than the rule of law," he stated. "This is the real danger for all of us."

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Jury acquits delivery driver of main charge in Dulles Town Center shooting of YouTube prankster www.youtube.com

Belgian man faked his own death, then showed up at his funeral in helicopter to teach family a 'life lesson'



A TikTok content creator played a prank on his family by faking his own death and showing up to his funeral. The Belgian prankster claimed that he intentionally deceived his family in order to teach them a "life lesson."

TikToker David Baerten, known as Ragnar le Fou on social media, pulled off the controversial stunt with the help of his wife and children. His immediate family notified people on social media that Baerten died.

According to The Times U.K., one of his daughters said on TikTok, "Rest in peace Daddy. I will never stop thinking about you. Why is life so unfair? Why you? You were going to be a grandfather, and you still had your whole life ahead of you. I love you! We love you! We will never forget you."

Last weekend, the family held a funeral near the city of Liege, Belgium. Dozens of friends and family attended the funeral dressed in all black. Suddenly, a helicopter swooped in and landed as people waited for the funeral to start.

The supposed "dead man" and a camera crew exited the helicopter.

"Cheers to you all, welcome to my funeral," Baerten told the mourners.

Baerten told the funeral attendees, "I did this to start my life again with you."

A man is seen on the viral video crying and hugging Baerten.

The 45-year-old social media influencer said he faked his own death because he felt his extended family neglected him.

"What I see in my family often hurts me," Baerten said. "I never get invited to anything. Nobody sees me. We all grew apart. I felt unappreciated. That’s why I wanted to give them a life lesson and show them that you shouldn’t wait until someone is dead to meet up with them."

Baerten noted that some friends and family didn't show up to his funeral, saying, "Only half of my family came to the funeral."

“That proves who really cares about me,” he said. “Those who didn’t come, did contact me to meet up. So in a way I did win.”

He added, "It's when we're alive that we need to hear these things."

Belgian TikToker rocks up to his own funeral in helicopter after faking death www.youtube.com

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White House answered fake reporter's questions for weeks before press corps exposed her to be 'Lego' video gamer



An online video game player was able to infiltrate the White House press corps by pretending to be a political reporter. The fake reporter was even able to submit questions to the Biden administration through the press corps, and White House press secretary Jen Psaki answered the imposter's questions for weeks.

An online persona posed as a reporter named "Kacey Montagu" for the Daily Mail, a British tabloid best known for celebrity gossip. There were Twitter and LinkedIn accounts dedicated to "Kacey Montagu," plus she was named as the chief political correspondent for White House News, a fictional website.

From Politico:

Montagu's play-acting as a White House reporter goes back at least to December, when he or she set up @WHschedule on Twitter. They repeatedly referenced the "schedule" account in emails as a primary duty. In March, they began sending tweets from @WHpoolreport. The accounts are rudimentary repostings of two sources of information reporters regularly consume: the president, first lady, vice president, and second gentleman's daily schedules and the so-called pool reports, which are real time dispatches from a small group of journalists tasked with following around those principals during the course of the day and reporting back to the rest of the press corps on their movements and utterances.

The accounts got attention from insiders, who quickly came to rely on their speed and efficiency. @WHSchedule had a following of more than 1,300, including several White House correspondents (some working at POLITICO). The new @WHPoolReport account amassed more than 600 in a few weeks' time, including some who work in the administration like Michael LaRosa, press secretary for Jill Biden and Symone Sanders, a senior advisor and chief spokesperson for Vice President Kamala Harris.

The person behind the imposter contacted the White House Correspondents Association about being becoming a pool reporter and inquired about applying for a day pass to cover the White House in person.

"Kacey Montagu" was given access to cover COVID-19 government press briefings, but was not called upon.

Montagu regularly sent in questions for the White House press corps to ask Psaki, adding that she wasn't able to be there in person "due to social distancing regulations." Montagu was able to hoodwink White House reporters, including from The Plain Dealerand CQ Roll Call, to ask Psaki numerous questions "about everything from COVID-19 travel bans, to coming ambassadorships, to Biden's reaction to Microsoft being hacked."

"In at least one instance, a White House official was connected with Montagu to circle back with more information when they had it," Politico reported.

Some White House reporters researched "Kacey Montagu," who had a deactivated LinkedIn account with a profile photo of U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson eating an ice cream cone, and they became suspicious.

During Thursday's daily White House press briefing, Washington Blade White House Reporter Chris Johnson asked Psaki the question, "How involved is former President Obama and First Lady Obama in the Biden – Harris administration? Is President Biden seeking to bring back the often bipartisan portrait unveiling events at the White House?"

The question was planted by Montagu.

Mediaite investigated Kacey Montagu, and discovered that she "appears to be a gag persona for a former Secretary of State made of Legos."

"The Montagu website's FAQ section describes her as 'An American Citizen. Former Secretary of State, Mayor, Senator, President Pro Tempore and Speaker of the House,' and her political views as 'President Trump 2024, baby! I'm a Conservative,'" the outlet wrote on Thursday.

Politico found that the person behind the "Kacey Montagu" persona was actually a Lego video gamer.

"They believe Montagu's White House moonlighting began as something to boast about in the online global gaming platform called ROBLOX, where users jokingly call themselves 'Legos,'" according to Politico. "Within that platform is a role-playing group called nUSA, where people from across the world engage in a mock U.S. government exercise. At one point, Montagu had adopted the role of Secretary of State but resigned from that job after — as they recalled — 'the [nUSA] President went to war with some U.K. and I thought it was a pretty bad idea!'"

The prankster explained her motivation for the fake White House reporter profiles, "I created them as some fun but also to ensure that people know what is going on — they should be able to know what POTUS and V.P. is doing and I think the account following shows people are interested in that."

"I love journalism, and I think the press corps is doing a pretty bad job at the moment, so I decided I would ensure some transparency and ask some questions me and some friends wanted the answer to," the hoaxer told the outlet.

The White House declined to comment on the situation.