On April 28, 2023, Aric Hutchinson and Samantha Miller exchanged vows and danced under the stars close to the Atlantic coast, officially becoming husband and wife.
However, the newlyweds were too surprised when they heard the phrase “until death do you part.”. A drunk driver hit Aric and Samantha as they were leaving their wedding on the island of Folly Beach, off the coast of South Carolina. Aric was brought to the emergency room, and Samantha, 34, died. There were two more injured passengers on the truck.
She said, “I wish this night could go on forever,” at the beginning of the golf cart ride, according to the bride’s mother, Lisa Miller. a night she’ll never forget.
The happy couple exited the reception as Mr. and Mrs. Hutchinson as their wonderful day tragically came to an end. The young couple entered the back of the cart, which was street-legal and resembled a golf cart, along with Aric’s relatives Benjamin and Brogan Garrett, who were seated in the front of the low-speed vehicle (LSV).
When Jamie Lee Komoroski, 25, crashed her Toyota rental car into the back of the LSV, they were just two blocks from their hotel.
According to the Associated Press, Komoroski struck a tree on Folly Beach at 10 p.m. while driving 65 mph in a 25 mph zone, according to the rental car data. m. and only briefly applied the brakes on Friday. The LSV is outfitted with lights and is capable of being driven at night, according to Andrew Gilreath, director of the safety division.
The woman’s mother told the local media, “I don’t have the foggiest idea what the interruption was, but she basically ran into my girl at 65 mph,” after hitting the dance floor with her daughter just hours earlier to Bruno Mars’ “Simply How You Are.”.
Mandi Jenkins, Samantha’s sister, remembers when they heard the alarms close to where they were staying and saw them. We were lounging on the veranda in our pajamas. Beginning to scream, the sirens.
The sirens, according to Jenkins, kept blaring. When she messaged her sister but was unable to find a solution, they went to the area and found something terrible.
The collision’s force sent the cart flying nearly 100 yards, rolling it several times before it came to a stop.
The report stated that there was “a large accident scene with a golf truck on its side and some casualties laying among the destruction. ”.
When Lisa learned Samantha’s body had been found at the crash site, she realized she had been duped into believing her daughter had been taken to the hospital.
While Aric was taken to the hospital with broken bones and brain injuries, Samantha, who was still wearing her wedding dress, was declared dead at the scene. However, the other passenger is reported to be stable despite having suffered critical injuries.
According to the police report, Komoroski told officers she had only had one beer and one tequila an hour earlier.
Police said she was “exceptionally unstable” and should have been set up because she might have fallen to the ground. On a scale of one to ten, Komoroski scored an “eight,” but when asked to take a field sobriety test, “she strongly refused and became uncooperative.”. While a warrant was issued for two blood vials, the results are still pending. She also declined to give a breath sample at the police station.
Three counts of careless vehicular homicide and drunk driving that caused death are brought against Komoroski. On each DUI charge, she faces a prison term of one to 25 years.
Following her admission to wanting to commit suicide to detectives, Komoroski, who has a history of speeding-related offenses, is currently on suicide watch.
One of two GoFundMe campaigns was started by Aric’s mother, Annette Hutchinson, to raise money for the funeral of Samantha, as well as for the medical expenses of her son Brogan, her son-in-law Benjamin, and her grandson.
Aric is in critical condition and will need extensive therapy. He has a brain injury, several broken bones, and one of two reconstructions.
Similar to Brogan, Ben also sustained serious injuries. Five hours after Sam put the ring on Aric’s finger and they exchanged vows, she claims, “I was given Aric’s wedding band in a plastic bag at the hospital.”. The love of his life has left Aric. This campaign raised approximately $600,000 on Wednesday, surpassing its $100,000 fundraising target.
The other GoFundMe was started by Mandi, Samantha’s sister, to support the family. Out of its $10,000 goal, it has so far raised about $37,000.
Samantha lived out her final day being brave, just as Mandi describes in her writing. She was anxious to begin her relationship with Aric. On that day, she didn’t feel nervous or hesitate at all. The love was palpable on the beach.
Because it was supposed to be their first day of life, it’s awful that it ended suddenly. Samantha Miller was such a beautiful young woman, and we are so sorry for Aric and their families.
