Aric Hutchinson and Samantha Miller got married on April 28, 2023 near the shores of the Atlantic, under a starry sky, and dance to symbolize the beginning of their life together as husband and wife.
But for the young newlyweds, the phrase “until death do you part” came at the wrong time. A drunk motorist hit Aric and Samantha as they headed home from their wedding on the island of Folly Beach, off the coast of South Carolina. Samantha, 34 years old, had died and Aric was taken to the hospital. There were also two more injured passengers on the cart.
The bride’s mother, Lisa Miller, recalled, “At the very start of the golf cart journey, she stated I hope this night might continue on forever. The happiest night of her life.”
The happy couple joyfully exited the celebration under a canopy of fireworks as Mr. and Mrs. Hutchinson, but their perfect day ended tragically. The newlyweds took the low speed vehicle (LSV), a street-legal cart resembling a golf cart, together with Benjamin and Brogan Garrett, who had been riding with Aric.
When Jamie Lee Komoroski, 25 years old, crashed her Toyota rental car into the rear of the LSV, they were only two streets away from their lodging.
In a 25 mph zone, Komoroski was traveling at 65 mph, according to data collected from her rented car, and only momentarily applied the brakes before colliding with the ground at around 10 p.m. This Friday at Folly Beach. Director of the Security Department Andrew Gilreath attested to the LSV’s lighting and declared that nighttime operation was authorized.
The bride’s mother, who had only minutes before dancing with the bride’s daughter to Bruno Mars’ “Just the Way You Are,” told the local press, “I have no idea what the cause of the distraction was, but she basically plowed into my daughter driving 65 miles per hour. She essentially just whammed my kid while Sammie and Aric were in the golf cart.
Samantha’s sister Mandi Jenkins remembered how they first noticed and heard the sirens when they were close to where they were living. “When the sirens first began to sound, we were on the balcony sitting in our pajamas. And the sirens kept blaring.” Jenkins stated. When her sister didn’t reply to a text she sent, they went to the location and were shocked by what they found.
The crash’s impact threw the cart nearly 100 yards, where it rolled several times before coming to a stop.
The incident was characterized as “A big accident scene with a golf cart on its side and multiple bodies laying among the wreckage.”
Lisa was mistaken that her daughter was actually rushed to the hospital, and it was there that she found Samantha’s body had been located at the scene of the accident.
Samantha, who was still wearing her wedding dress, was declared dead at the scene, and Aric was brought to the hospital with shattered bones and head injuries. One additional passenger was seriously hurt, and another was considered as stable.
Police reports say that Komoroski smelled of alcohol and told officers that she had only drunk one beer and one tequila an hour earlier.
She had to be propped up because she was “very unsteady,” according to the officers. Rating her weakness from one to 10, Komoroski said “eight” adjoin when requested to do a field temperance test, “she firmly rejected and became uncooperative.” She also refused to give a breath sample at the police station; however, a warrant was issued for two litres of blood, and the results have not yet been released.
Komoroski is accused of careless vehicular homicide and three counts of driving impaired causing death. On each count of DUI, she faces between one and 25 years in prison.
After telling police that she wanted to die, Komoroski, who has a history of speeding-related charges, is under suicide watch.
Two GoFundMe campaigns have been started, one by Aric’s mother Annette Hutchinson to assist in paying for Samantha’s funeral expenses as well as medical expenses for her son, her son-in-law Benjamin, and her grandson, Brogan. Aric is in critical condition and will require a lengthy rehabilitation. He has undergone one of two reconstruction procedures in addition to having several fractured bones and a brain injury. She continues, “I was given Aric’s wedding ring in a small bag in the hospital, five hours after Sam had put it on his finger and they had read their vows to one other.” Ben and Brogan were also hurt, Ben gravely. This campaign, which had a $100,000 goal, raised approximately $600,000 on Wednesday. Aric has lost the love of his life.
The other GoFundMe was started by Samantha’s sister Mandi to support the family and has raised approximately $37,000 of its $10,000 target so far. “Samantha was brave, and that’s precisely how she spent her final day of life, She couldn’t wait to begin her life with Aric. That day, she was unnerved and hesitant-free. The affection was obvious on the beach.” Mandi said.
The fact that it ended so terribly when it was supposed to be the first day of the rest of their lives is heartbreaking. We send our love and condolences to Aric and their families since Samantha Miller was such a lovely young woman.