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Aric Hutchinson, a South Carolina groom, shared a devastating account of his wedding night, marked by unimaginable tragedy. On April 28, 2023, just hours after exchanging vows with his bride, Samantha Miller, their lives were shattered by a fatal collision involving an intoxicated driver.
The newlyweds had just left their reception on Folly Beach in a golf cart, joined by family members. Jamie Lee Komoroski, driving 65 mph in a 25-mph zone with a blood alcohol level over three times the legal limit, crashed into their vehicle. Samantha, 34, was killed instantly, while Aric and two others sustained severe injuries.
In court and interviews, Aric recounted the haunting final words of his bride: “She looked at me and said, ‘I don’t want this night to end.’” Moments later, their world was upended. Aric woke up in the hospital, his mother still in her wedding attire, breaking the news of Samantha’s death. Aric expressed a mix of grief and guilt, wishing he could have prevented the crash by sacrificing himself instead.
Samantha, described as a radiant, loving person, had planned her wedding with joy and calmness. Her family and friends remember her as someone who made everyone feel special. Following the accident, Aric faced months of recovery for his physical injuries, including broken legs and facial trauma. He also filed a lawsuit against Komoroski and several establishments that allegedly over-served her alcohol despite her visible intoxication.
Komoroski, 25, has pleaded guilty to charges of reckless vehicular homicide and DUI-related felonies, receiving a 25-year prison sentence. In court, she expressed remorse, acknowledging her alcohol addiction and the irreversible pain caused by her actions.
Samantha’s memory was honored in a beachside ceremony where friends and family tossed flowers into the ocean. Aric continues to recover physically and emotionally, focusing on cherishing the memories of his late wife and her impact on everyone who knew her
