On March 19, 2025, Tyler Mailloux, age 24, of Berlin, Maryland was sentenced to 10 years of incarceration for his felony conviction on the charge of failing to immediately stop his vehicle at the scene of an accident where he knew or should have known that the accident resulted in the death of another, and a death actually occurred. The hit-and-run collision occurred on the night of July 11, 2022, on Gray’s Corner Road in Berlin, and took the life of 14-year-old Gavin Knupp.
The Honorable Brett R. Wilson, retired Judge of the Dorchester County Circuit Court, imposed the sentence, suspended all but 18 months of the sentence and placed Mailloux on 3 years of supervised probation upon release. The applicable Maryland Sentencing Guidelines calculated a sentence between 3 months and 4 years. Prosecutors recommended the maximum sentence of 10 years, with all but 3 years and 227 days suspended. Among other conditions of probation, Mailloux was ordered to attend a driver improvement program, victim impact panel meeting, and perform 400 hours of community service. Mailloux has been incarcerated at the Worcester County Detention Center since entering a guilty plea on February 25, 2025.
Upon the conclusion of the sentencing proceeding, State’s Attorney Kris Heiser stated, “We recognize that no amount of punishment can ever make up for the loss of a life, especially the life of an innocent child. However, prosecutors today advocated for a much longer sentence than what the Court ultimately handed down because we believed it was appropriate given the facts of the case and necessary to deter future hit-and-run accidents. While we respect the Court’s decision, we also recognize that it is unlikely to satisfy many in our community who have waited so long for the resolution of this matter. I can only hope that the proceedings today, including the presence of so many of Gavin’s friends and family in the courtroom, will serve as a reminder of how much Gavin is loved and that he will never be forgotten by our community. I also want to extend my thanks and gratitude to all those who spoke on Gavin’s behalf at the sentencing hearing, and to the Knupp family for their remarkable patience, determination and strength throughout the entire criminal justice process.”