DUI suspect accused of killing bride on wedding day sued along with 'bar hopping' businesses

Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY
Updated ·3 min read
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A newlywed widower whose bride died in a golf-cart crash after the couple's wedding reception last month has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the alleged drunken driver charged in her death.

The suit, filed Wednesday in South Carolina's Ninth Judicial Circuit Court of Common Pleas by Aric Hutchinson and two other people hurt in the crash, names more than a half dozen defendants including Jamie Lee Komoroski, who police arrested in connection to the April 28th death of Samantha Miller 34.

Miller, from Charlotte, North Carolina, was killed in the Folly Beach crash in Charleston County.

Three other of Miller's family members, including Hutchinson, suffered major injuries in the two-vehicle late evening crash.

The lawsuit also names five local businesses as defendants and claims Komoroski, 25, had been "bar hopping" the day of the wreck, which according to an arrest affidavit, involved a rented Toyota Camry slamming into the golf cart.

In addition to wrongful death, the 28-page suit also accuses the defendants of gross negligence, reckless hiring, supervision and training as well as "negligent infliction of emotional distress."

A groom whose bride died in a golf cart crash after the newlyweds left their wedding reception last month has filed a filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the alleged drunken driver charged in her death. The suit was filed May 17, 2023 in South Carolina's Ninth Judicial CIrcuit Court of Common Pleas by Aric Hutchinson and two of his family members hurt in the Folly Beach, South Carolina crash.

'Noticeably and visibly intoxicated'

A responding Folly Beach police officer, who found the victims on the ground at the scene, said the driver of the Camry smelled strongly of alcohol and admitted to drinking "one beer and a drink with tequila about an hour ago."

“Despite being noticeably and visibly intoxicated at each of these establishments,” the lawsuit reads, “Jaime Komoroski continued to be served, provided, and/or allowed to consume alcohol in each of them.”

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"This case is about keeping our community safe from drunk drivers, and an important part of that effort is making sure the establishments we entrust with liquor licenses live up to their responsibility to serve alcohol responsibly," the family's Charleston-based attorney Danny Dalton said.

The plaintiffs ask for a jury trial and seek punitive damages among other costs in connection to the case.

Just married

Earlier this month, Folly Beach Public Safety Department Chief Andrew Gilreath told USA TODAY Hutchinson and Miller were married just hours before the 10:15 p.m. wreck.

Police said data retrieved from Komoroski’s rental car show she was driving 65 mph and briefly hit the brakes before she slammed into the golf cart.

Komoroski, who is from Charleston, refused a sobriety and a breath test, according to her arrest affidavit. She was arrested and medical personnel drew a blood sample from her.

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According to additional court papers, when her blood was drawn her Blood Alcohol Content was 0.261, more than three times the legal limit to drive.

She faces charges including reckless vehicular homicide and driving under the influence causing great bodily injury and is due in court next month for a hearing, court records show.

Komoroski's attorney could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY.

Natalie Neysa Alund covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on Twitter @nataliealund.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alleged drunk driver who killed bride on wedding day sued by widower