What began as the most joyful day of Samantha Miller’s life ended in a devastating tragedy that has left a family and community in mourning. On April 28, 2023, Samantha, 34, and Aric Hutchinson celebrated their wedding with friends and family on Folly Beach, South Carolina. The atmosphere was filled with love and laughter as the couple danced under the stars and shared their vows. As they left their reception, surrounded by a canopy of sparklers held by their loved ones, it seemed the perfect start to their new life together. The bride herself had expressed a wish that the magical night could last forever.
Tragically, that wish was shattered just moments later. The newlyweds, along with two of Aric’s relatives, were traveling in a low-speed vehicle, a street-legal cart, just two blocks from their destination. Without warning, their vehicle was violently struck from behind by a car driven by 25-year-old Jamie Lee Komoroski. The force of the impact was catastrophic, tossing the cart nearly a hundred yards and rolling it several times. The scene was described by first responders as a devastating wreckage with victims scattered among the debris.
Samantha Miller, still wearing her wedding dress, was pronounced dead at the scene. The collision had taken her life instantly, transforming a celebration of new beginnings into a scene of profound loss. Her new husband, Aric Hutchinson, was rushed to the hospital with severe injuries, including broken bones and a brain injury. The other passengers also sustained serious injuries, leaving a trail of physical and emotional pain from what should have been a night of pure happiness.
The investigation into the crash revealed a horrifying truth. Data from the rental car operated by Komoroski showed she was traveling 65 miles per hour in a 25-mile-per-hour zone. She had barely applied the brakes before the collision. Police reports stated that she smelled strongly of alcohol, was unsteady on her feet, and refused to perform a field sobriety test. Later tests confirmed her blood alcohol level was 0.261%, more than three times the legal limit in South Carolina.
The legal process concluded in December 2024, when Jamie Lee Komoroski was sentenced to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to charges including felony DUI and reckless homicide. While she expressed guilt and took responsibility for her actions, the sentence offers little comfort to a grieving husband and family. Aric Hutchinson, who was handed his wedding ring in a plastic bag at the hospital just hours after his wife had placed it on his finger, must now navigate a long recovery and a future forever altered by a single, preventable decision.
