Knupp Family ‘Confident’ For Justice As Probe Continues

FROM PAGE 4 senger was partially ejected and suffered fatal injuries. According to police reports, troopers on the scene observed significant signs of impairment exhibited by the driver.

In February of 2020, 14 months after the fatal accident, Bryan Wersten, 32, was convicted of homicide by motor vehicle while under the influence of controlled dangerous substances and sentencing was deferred. Wersten was the driver of a vehicle that claimed the life of his passenger, identified as Michael Hernandez, also of Berlin. Wersten was sentenced in July of 2020 to 10 years in jail, all but four of which were suspended. He was also placed on supervised probation for five years following his release.

As far as the Knupp case, back on July 11, a black Mercedes was driving eastbound on Grays Corner Road between Glen Riddle Lane and Route 589. The vehicle struck and killed Knupp, a pedestrian on the road returning to a nearby vehicle when the collision took place. The vehicle fled the scene and did not return.

Six days after the incident, the Mercedes identified as the vehicle in the collision was seized from a home in the Ocean Reef community. The vehicle, which reportedly matched the suspected damages sustained in the collision, was towed to the Maryland State Police Berlin Barrack for further processing.

From the beginning, the family’s official statements through their attorney have maintained the high road and been supportive of authorities. In other interviews, the family has admitted candidly the investigation has taken a toll and patience is wearing thin.

Most recently, Gavin’s mom, Tiffany, was on Ocean 98.1 WOCM last month discussing the foundation as well as making another plea for witnesses with knowledge about her son’s death to do the right thing and come forward. “There are people in this community who absolutely know. There are eyewitnesses who have not come forward that just won’t speak. I don’t know why. I just want them to come forward and we are begging them to come forward,” she said. “… I am not backing down … I am ready for justice for my son. … We do get briefed on the case. Every two weeks our attorney gets briefed by the state’s attorney’s office. He talks to us about it. It’s progressing. We do trust in the system and the process. It’s just my patience is done. I’ve had enough. It’s six months. I’m done. We are ready for some movement. I want an arrest. I want this justice. We should not be fighting this hard for justice.”

Summer Knupp, Gavin’s older sister, was driving Gavin the night her brother was struck and killed as a pedestrian. She was on the local radio show with her mom. “Patience is gone. It feels like it’s yesterday but when you do realize it’s been six months …,” she said. “We’ve been waiting for six months. I’ve been told since July 12, the day after, he would be arrested soon and six months later I’m still waiting. It’s getting tiring.”

Time will tell what justice looks like in this specific case, and the worry for many is justice will not be the reality because of the long investigation. Charges could ultimately be filed against the motorist but whether they bring the consequences many seek for a lost young life remains unclear. A potential charge against the motorist who struck and killed Knupp and fled the scene could be leaving the scene of a fatal accident. State code says, “A person who violates § 20-102 of this article (“Driver to remain at scene — Accident resulting in bodily injury or death”) and who knew or reasonably should have known that the accident might result in the death of another person and death actually occurred to another person, is guilty of a felony and on conviction is subject to imprisonment for not more than 10 years or a fine of not more than $10,000 or both.”

Over the course of the many months since the incident, the Knupp family has remained committed to supporting police and the investigation underway. In October of 2022, the Knupp family appeared on local news stations in touching features. Armed with details about the investigation that could not be shared publicly, the family was at peace with how law enforcement was handling the investigation.

On WBOC’s interview with Steve Hammond, Tiffany Knupp said, “We know that the police department and everybody is working overtime. And we have complete faith in them and we know how hard they’re working and we saw that from the beginning. The fact that it’s taking a while is a good thing. They’re getting everything right so we trust in that … You think of death and mourning and that totally cripples us, trust me all day long. But there’s also this level of strength that we have and I totally, firmly believe it’s Gavin just kind of pushing us along because he would not want us to be upset. That’s not his personality. He would want us to fight for him and we are for sure.”

During the same interview, sister Summer Knupp showed poise, saying, “Naturally everyone’s going to be frustrated with how long. Time is a frustrating thing, but we are more worried about having a conviction and having an outcome we want than how long it takes. We don’t want to rush something and then get it wrong and then we’re upset about that for years and years to come.”

In September of 2022, Dubovsky issued a statement, saying, “Having had the opportunity to meet with the State’s Attorney and others in her office, we believe more strongly than ever that those responsible for Gavin’s death will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We thank Kris Heiser, her team and law enforcement for all their hard work to that end.”