Man sentenced to three years in connection with deadly Harford County school bus crash
A man convicted in connection with a 2025 Harford County crash that killed a high school student and seriously injured another student has been sentenced to three years in prison.
In June, John Anthony Gaeta Jr. was found guilty of criminally negligent manslaughter in the crash that killed 16-year-old Blake Elliott, a student at C. Milton Wright High School in Bel Air, Maryland. Elliott's 17-year-old boyfriend was also seriously injured in the crash.
Court documents show that on Sept. 18, 2025, Gaeta failed to apply the brakes before crashing into the back of a vehicle driven by Zachary Griffin, pushing it into the path of a school bus on Route 543. Court records also show Gaeta was using his phone at the time of the crash.
The Harford County State's Attorney's Office said Gaeta traveled 371 feet during the five seconds before the crash, reducing his speed from 53 mph to just 47 mph before pushing the victims' vehicle into the path of the oncoming school bus.
Elliott was trapped inside the vehicle and was pronounced dead shortly after arriving by ambulance at University of Maryland Upper Chesapeake Health. Griffin survived but spent nearly two weeks at Shock Trauma.
Elliott was a beloved teammate on the C. Milton Wright High School girls' soccer team.
"She will forever leave an impact on the school and any person that she talked to, and we will forever carry her memory in our hearts and play for her," one of Elliott's soccer teammates said last year.
Victim impact statements were given during Monday's sentencing hearing by Griffin and his mother, as well as Elliott's parents, sister, and two aunts.
"Victim Impact Statements highlighted the amazing person that Blake was," Harford County State's Attorney Alison Healey said. "She was incredibly loved, and Harford County lost a cherished young member of our community way too soon as result of the Defendant's complete and utter disregard for the safety of other drivers on the road on that September day, and because of his choices, Blake will never get to experience so many milestones: senior prom, high school and college graduation, getting married, having children, and so much more. She will forever be missed by her family, friends, teammates, and loved ones."
