The pursuit of justice in the tragic hit-and-run death of 12-year-old Gavin Knupp has culminated in a contentious sentencing. Tyler Mailloux, 24, implicated in the July 2022 incident on Gray's Corner Road in Berlin, received a jail term that has stirred public outcry and left a family grappling with their loss. According to WMAR 2 News, after a drawn-out legal process marred by venue missteps and a lengthy appeals court battle, Mailloux was sentenced to 10 years in prison, suspending all but 18 months.

The case, fraught with complexities from the beginning, saw Judge Brett Wilson, the same judge who previously dismissed the charges against Mailloux, deliver the sentence. The Knupp family conveyed their sentiment through various social media platforms, voicing their profound disappointment with the Maryland judicial system's verdict.

Details from WBOC outlined that the sentence includes three years of supervised probation, a driver improvement program, victim impact panel meetings, and 400 hours of community service. However, the sentence fell short of the prosecutor's recommendation of a heavier penalty, which argued for a longer sentence based on deterrence, punishment, and rehabilitation and included one day for every day Mailloux remained silent post-crash.

In a statement given by Worcester County State's Attorney Kris Heiser, acknowledgment of the community's long wait for resolution was expressed while recognizing that the sentence may not fulfill many expectations. In his ruling, Judge Wilson had mentioned his son's death in a car crash while also considering Mailloux's age and lack of prior convictions when determining the sentence. Attorney Neil Dubovsky, representing the Knupp family, signaled that the family is considering further action with an impending civil lawsuit against Mailloux, asserting their belief that "Tyler was at fault for this accident," as WBOC reported.