A lawsuit has been brought against the driver of the devastating wedding day crash, by the husband whose wife was killed by the alleged intoxicated driver.
The groom is suing 25-year-old Jamie Komoroski over the fatal crash.
His wife was killed moments after their wedding reception.
The groom is also suing the bars that sold Komoroski alcohol.
In the lawsuit he states that bars have ‘a duty of care’ adding they should ‘not serve alcohol to intoxicated persons’.
This comes after the groom, together with his wife’s relatives, had to begin the heartbreaking work of preparing his wife’s funeral.
Read on for the full story.
Samantha Miller, 34, died just hours after her wedding.
Leaving behind her husband Aric Hutchinson.
Aric has also sustained horrific injuries.
The pair were leaving their reception in South Carolina in a decorated golf cart.
When another cart hit them.
This second cart was reportedly going at twice the speed limit.
Miller’s cart was flipped over several times, and thrown many yards.
Hutchison suffered broken bones and a brain injury.
Police say 25-year-old Jamie Lee Komoroski was the driver of the other cart.
Andrew Gilreath, public safety director for the Folly Beach area said she was driving at 65mph in a 25mph zone.
The groom’s mother created a Go Fund Me Page.
She’s raised over $40,000 to pay for her daughter-in-law’s funeral and her son’s medical bills.
“Samantha was killed instantly,” she wrote.
“Garrett, Brogan and Aric were transferred to a hospital where they are recovering. Aric now has to continue on without the love of his life.”
“Sam Miller was pure love. There isn’t and won’t be another person on this planet that shined the way she did.”
“She was loud. Not with her voice but with her heart. She could make anyone, anywhere smile ear to ear, probably with a vulgar joke.”
“She made the uncomfortable comfortable and brought peace, confidence, and laughter to everyone around her.”
“Love at first sight wasn’t just possible with her, it was a given. Her smile would make you fall in love in an instant.”
“She was the one person everyone knew would never ever give up on them. She was unbelievably special.”
“Samantha was fearless and that’s exactly how she spent the last day of her life. She was so excited to start her life with Aric. She had no nerves or hesitation that day. You could feel the love on the beach.”
“But she was more than just a bride. She was a daughter, a sister, a friend to all, a mother to two cats. She was a beautiful person, inside and out, who just wanted to make the people around her smile.”
“Please donate whatever you can give to our family. We are going through unimaginable pain and need all of the help we can get.”
Komoroski was detained and charged with three counts of felony DUI causing severe bodily harm or death.
Plus one count of reckless homicide.
Miller’s sister Mandi Jenkins also spoke to KTSM about the tragedy.
“Thirty-four, wants to be a mom.”
“And she can’t.”
“My sister, a daughter, a wife, died in her wedding dress because someone made a terrible decision to get in the car.”
Samantha’s husband Aric has now returned home from hospital.
An update to Aric’s GoFundMe reads: “From the accident Aric received multiple injuries including two broken legs, one which had to be surgically repaired.”
“Broken bones in his face which also had to be surgically repaired.”
“Broken vertebrae in his back, brain bleeds, and numerous cuts with stitches.”
“He is physically recovering at home while trying to come to terms with the loss of his beautiful wife.”
“Now he is doing the unimaginable of planning Sam’s funeral along with her family.”
Since the devastating story hit headlines, Jamie Komoroski’s lawyers have spoken out to defend the driver.
As the matter is still pending, her attorneys have now urged the public not to “rush to judgement,” stating that “all facts will come to light” in court.
In a recent statement, attorneys Nathan S. Williams and Christopher S. Gramiccioni said: “We cannot fathom what the families are going through and offer our deepest sympathies.
“We simply ask that there not be a rush to judgment. Our court system is founded upon principles of justice and mercy and that is where all facts will come to light.”
Since then, Hutchinson has filed a lawsuit on May 17 against Komoroski, and the bars that served her alcohol.
Attorneys said: “The tragedy has shattered the entire family, beyond just the individuals named in the lawsuit.”
Hutchinson’s attorney, Danny Dalton, stated that there are still ongoing investigations into the circumstances leading up to the crash.
“There are still many details we don’t know about the sequence of events leading up to the tragic crash, but by filing a lawsuit, we can begin the legal discovery process that allows us to get the answers that Samantha’s family deserves,” Dalton said.
“We hope that the bars will cooperate with us and provide whatever they have. I would think that given the tragic nature of this case, they would want to own up to whatever happened or didn’t happen for that matter.”
Hutchinson and the other two affected family members are still recovering from the collision, according to Dalton.
“You go from the happiest moment of your life to an unfathomable tragedy,” he said.
“They are all recovering physically and emotionally. As you can imagine the groom is doing okay. He has a wonderful tight-knit family from both on his side and his late wife’s side.”
Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones during this unimaginable tragedy.
Rest in peace.