The parents of a high school student charged in the death of his teacher after a prank gone wrong, have released a statement saying that the teacher “meant the world to our son” and their family is in “deep remorse and grieving”.

Jason Hughes, 4o, a teacher at North Hall high school in Georgia, died last week after being run over by a student driving away from a prank involving toilet paper.

Local authorities said that five teenagers went to Hughes’ home on the night of 6 March to wrap toilet paper around the trees on Hughes’ property as a practical joke. Authorities said that as the group attempted to leave in two separate cars, Hughes came out of his home, tripped and fell into the road and was inadvertently run over by the drivers of one of the cars.

Authorities said that the driver, identified as 18-year-old Jayden Ryan Wallace, and two others stopped to try to help Hughes while emergency responders were called, but said that Hughes died after being brought to a hospital.

Wallace – who is legally an adult because of his age – was charged with first-degree vehicular homicide, reckless driving, criminal trespass and littering on private property. The other four students involved were charged with criminal trespass and littering. All five students have been released on bond, ABC News reported.

Hughes’ family said in a statement to NBC News this week that the teacher knew the students were coming to pull a prank on him and had been “excited and waiting to catch them in the act.”

They said that because it had been raining, Hughes slipped and fell into the road in front of the vehicle.

Hughes’ family said that he loved his students “and they loved him too” and they fully support “getting the charges dropped for all involved”. The family called what happened “a terrible tragedy.”

“Our family is determined to prevent a separate tragedy from occurring, ruining the lives of these students,” the statement said. “This would be counter to Jason’s lifelong dedication of investing in the lives of these children.”

On Tuesday, in a statement to local news site 11Alive sent through their attorney, Wallace’s parents said that their family was in “deep remorse and grieving over such a tremendous loss in our North Hall community”.

“Jason Hughes meant the world to our son, Jayden,” they said. “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.”

11Alive also reported that Wallace also issued a statement saying: “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.”