Dismissal of charges in fatal hit and run case reversed

WORCESTER CO., Md. – On Wednesday, the Appellate Court of Maryland reversed the dismissal of charges against the man accused of hitting and killing Gavin Knupp in 2022.

The Circuit Court for Worcester County granted Tyler Mailloux’s motion to dismiss for lack of jurisdiction in August 2023. The decision was appealed in January of this year, and the first oral arguments were heard earlier this month.

The Appellate Court’s opinion states, “When the State filed the information in the circuit court to include offenses charged in Counts 9 through 17, which undisputedly arose out of the same circumstances as the offenses charged in Counts 1 through 8, the District Court was divested of exclusive original jurisdiction in the criminal case, and the circuit court had exclusive original jurisdiction over all offenses charged in the 17 counts. For the reasons stated, the circuit court erred in granting Mr. Mailloux’s motion to dismiss for lack of
jurisdiction.”

Worcester County State’s Attorney Kris Heiser says they intend to prosecute all charges against Mailloux as soon as the case can be scheduled for trial.

The Knupp family released the following statement through their attorney, Neil Dubovsky:

“We are immensely gratified by the unanimous reported opinion from the Appellate Court of Maryland confirming that this case can move forward in the Circuit Court for Worcester County. We remain supremely confident in Kris Heiser and her team and that support has once again been vindicated.

While this process has been frustrating at times, we remain resolute in our commitment to holding those responsible for Gavin’s death accountable. In the immortal words of Dr. Martin Luther King, “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Today’s ruling helps bring us closer to justice and for that, we are appreciative.”