Samantha Miller was just five hours removed from her wedding ceremony when an alleged drunk driver slammed into a golf cart she was riding in with her new husband, Aric Hutchinson, and two close friends. Samantha was killed in the wreck, while her husband and the two others were seriously injured.
The incident occurred at around 10 p.m. on April 28 – just minutes after the newlyweds’ wedding reception on Folly Beach. The driver was identified as Jamie Lee Komoroski and she was driving a rental car when she hit the golf cart. Komoroski was allegedly going 65 mph in a 25 mph zone before the crash.
A bride and groom leaving their reception on a golf cart were struck by an alleged drunk driver in South Carolina. The bride, 34-year-old Samantha Miller, was killed instantly and the groom, Aric Hutchinson, suffered multiple injuries. @StevenFabianTV has the details. pic.twitter.com/eaK1DzOobp
— Inside Edition (@InsideEdition) May 3, 2023
When authorities arrived, they found ‘a large crash scene with a golf cart on its side.’ The alleged drunk driver underwent a sobriety test and was reportedly ‘very unsteady on her feet’ and smelled of alcohol as she nearly fell down during the test. Komoroski was reportedly uninjured, but uncooperative with police.
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At the time of the crash, Jamie Lee Komoroski admitted to consuming ‘one beer and a drink with tequila’ nearly an hour prior to hitting the golf cart. She was then asked to assess how drunk she was on a scale of 1 to 10 – she answered an 8. Keep in mind, a rating of 1 would’ve meant she was completely sober.
Alleged Drunk Driver Had History of Speeding
Reports are now indicating that Komoroski graduated from Coastal Carolina University in 2020 and had a history of driving over the speed limit. Between 2018 and 2019, she received ‘three traffic-related infractions in Horry County in the past few years,’ according to WBTW, which cited public record data.
"Jamie Komoroski, 25, the drunk driver who crashed into two newlyweds on Friday, killing the bride, has reportedly been placed on suicide watch
— Breaking Trends News (@btrendsnews) May 2, 2023
Pictures on Komoroski's Instagram show the young woman drinking frequently #jamiekomoroski #samanthamiller #AricHutchinson pic.twitter.com/UxmjaY1HCy
She was arrested on the scene and a judge later signed a warrant to have the suspect’s blood drawn. The results of that test haven’t been released by authorities, but court documents reveal she was charged with one count of reckless homicide and three counts of felony DUI resulting in great bodily harm.
Victim’s Family Creates GoFundMe Page
In the days following the devastating tragedy, the mother of the husband, Aric Hutchinson, started a GoFundMe account to ‘help pay for Sam’s burial and medical costs for Aric and his family.’ The page has already raised more than $640,000 in three days – more than 17,000 have donated to the cause.
As newlyweds were being escorted in a golf cart following their wedding reception in South Carolina, 34-year-old bride Samantha Miller was killed by an alleged drunk driver traveling 65 miles per hour. @stephgosk on the latest. pic.twitter.com/Ol31GqtL2F
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 2, 2023
In the page’s description, Annette Hutchinson confirmed her son remains in critical condition and ‘has had one of two reconstruction surgeries, numerous broken bones, and a brain injury.’ The other two victims – her son-in-law Benjamin Garrett and grandson Brogan Garrett – were injured, but not seriously injured.
While Sam Miller and Aric Hutchinson's wedding day started perfect, it ended tragically. Sam's family spoke about the tragic weekend, but also the light they'll always remember in Sam's eyes. https://t.co/Cc7pON5YJx
— ABC News 4 (@ABCNews4) May 2, 2023
Photos from Sam's family. #follybeach #wedding #charlestonsc pic.twitter.com/pGZ4JU74CR
“I was handed Aric’s wedding ring in a plastic bag at the hospital, five hours after Sam placed it on his finger and they read each other their vows. Aric has lost the love of his life,” Annette wrote in the page’s description on May 1. She confirmed that the couple had homes in both Utah and South Carolina.
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Annette also shared several photos of her son, son-in-law, and grandson as they recover in the hospital – the images paint a graphic picture of the outcome of the crash – she described that the ‘golf cart was thrown over 100 yards and rolled several times.’ Our prayers go out to all those affected by the crash.
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