Bride killed, groom seriously hurt by drunk driver just minutes after leaving wedding reception: cops
A bride was killed and her groom was seriously injured by a drunk driver who struck their golf cart as they were leaving their wedding reception in South Carolina, authorities said.
The blushing bride, Samantha “Sam” Hutchinson, 34, was photographed grinning ear to ear as she exited the party around 10 p.m. Friday — moments before a drunk driver rear-ended the golf cart taking her and husband Aric Hutchinson from their wedding venue in Folly Beach, news station WYFF 4 reported.
“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,” the groom’s mother wrote on a GoFundMe page, which identified the couple as victims of the collision.
“Aric has lost the love of his life,” she said.
Hutchinson’s mother said the newlyweds were being escorted in the golf cart by two relatives of the groom, Ben Garret and Brogan Garrett, who were also injured in the crash.
“The golf cart was thrown over 100 yards and rolled several times,” the page said.
The car had “struck from behind by a drunk driver traveling 65 MPH in a 25 MPH zone,” according to the GoFundMe.
Aric suffered a brain injury and broke numerous bones, his mother said. The majority of his face is bruised and he remains in serious condition at the hospital, where he has undergone two reconstructive surgeries.
Ben, one of the passengers, is also in serious condition, according to the page.
The driver of the car, Jamie Lee Komoroski, 25, was arrested and charged with DUI involving death and reckless homicide.
Everything you need to know about <strong>Jamie Lee Komoroski</strong>
What will happen to her?
Komoroski was charged with three felony DUIs resulting in great bodily injury or death and one count of reckless homicide after killing a bride and injuring a groom who had just left their wedding reception. She is facing up to 25 years in jail.
Komoroski, 25, plowed into Samantha Hutchinson’s golf cart, which had four people on it, while driving around 65 miles per hour, according to Folly Beach police.
Sam Hutchinson was declared dead at the scene by responding officers. Her new husband, Aric Hutchinson, was hospitalized with severe injuries.
Police said Komoroski’s blood-alcohol content was three times over the legal limit.
Komoroski reportedly smelled of alcohol but refused to take a sobriety test, according to police.
Aric filed a wrongful death suit against the alleged drunk driver and the bars that he says served her before the horrific incident.
Komoroski has been let out of jail and is under house arrest after being granted bail with strict conditions on Friday, as revealed by The Post.
A judge said she should be granted bail if Charleston County couldn’t bring the case to trial before March 1.
Komoroski’s blood results are pending, but an investigation into the crash determined she was driving 65 mph when she struck the golf cart, police said.
The GoFundMe fundraiser, which was launched by Hutchinson’s mother, will help pay for the bride’s burial and medical costs for the groom and his family.
The couple made their home both in the groom’s home state of Utah as well as South Carolina, according to the GoFundMe. The bride originally hailed from North Carolina.
Samantha’s employer, XenTegra, an international IT provider based out of Huntersville, North Carolina, shared news of her death on LinkedIn, noting she was an “integral member” of its team.
“She carried a light about her, one that shined so brightly upon everyone with whom she interacted. Simply put, Samantha brought an abundance of joy and laughter to the workplace,” the company wrote, noting she was a dedicated and detail-oriented worker who went above and beyond.
“But beyond her professional accomplishments, Samantha was a wonderful person. In the last several months, our team was able to join in her excitement as she shared photos and intricate details about her upcoming wedding,” the company wrote. “We will forever remember Samantha’s smile, her laughter, and her dedication to her work, friends, and family.”
