Groom sues bar that served driver in fatal DUI crash that killed bride on wedding night
The South Carolina man who lost his wife in a devastating car accident just hours after they were married has filed a wrongful death suit against the alleged drunk driver and the bars that he says overserved her before the horrific smash-up.
Aric Hutchinson, 36, suffered a brain injury and broken bones on April 28 when a speeding Toyota Camry slammed into the golf cart carrying him and his new wife, Samantha, from their wedding reception.
Samantha, 34, died at the scene. Records later showed that Jamie Komoroski, the 25-year-old driver of the Toyota, was over three times the legal blood-alcohol limit at the time of the crash.
The wrongful death suit filed on Hutchinson’s behalf on Wednesday cites Komoroski and several Low Country bars and restaurants where the plaintiffs allege she consumed “copious amounts” of alcohol before the crash, WYFF reported.
The documents obtained by the outlet allege that Komoroski, a former taco eatery waitress, began her “booze-filled day of bar hopping” at El Gallo Bar & Grill near Daniel Island.
Everything you need to know about <strong>Jamie Lee Komoroski</strong>
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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.
She is then reported to have driven to the Folly Beach area, where she stopped in at least three more establishments that continued to serve her even though she was “noticeably and visibly intoxicated,” the suit claims.
The three other locales named in the lawsuit are Snapper Jacks, The Crab Shack, and The Drop In.
By the end of the night, the suit states, Komoroski was “nearly unconscious” behind the wheel.
When she allegedly rear-ended the newlyweds on Ashley Avenue, Komoroski was hurtling at 65 mph in a 25-mph speed zone.
Previous reports said the impact sent the golf cart flying 100 yards before it finally rolled to a stop.
In addition to Samantha’s wrongful death, the filing is an injury suit on behalf of Aric and the two relatives, including a minor, who were also riding in the golf cart and suffered “terrible and permanent injuries.”
Days before the lawsuit was filed, Aric — still in a wheelchair — appeared on Folly Beach for a swimout in honor of his late bride.
“She would’ve loved it,” he told local news of the emotional event, which took place near the couple’s wedding venue.
“This is Sam. I mean, she’s a beach girl, through and through.”
Komoroski, who is originally from New Jersey, has been charged with three felony DUIs resulting in great bodily injury or harm and one count of reckless homicide.
The Coastal Carolina University graduate was reportedly dazed and belligerent at the scene, and told first responders that she “did nothing wrong” before repeatedly asking for her boyfriend.
Last week, Komoroski’s high-powered attorneys cautioned the public not to “rush to judgment” in the case.
“Our court system is founded upon principles of justice and mercy and that is where all facts will come to light,” they said.
Shortly after her arrest, Komoroski was allegedly placed on suicide watch.
The Post has reached out to Komoroski’s lawyer and the Hutchinson family’s lawyer.
