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Woman Who Took Bride’s Life At Wedding In Drunk Driving Crash Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison
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Woman Who Took Bride’s Life At Wedding In Drunk Driving Crash Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison

Woman Who Took Bride’s Life At Wedding In Drunk Driving Crash Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison“Not Enough Time”: Drunk Driver Who Took Bride’s Life At Wedding Sentenced To 25 Years In PrisonWoman, 26, Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison For Drunk Driving Crash That Took Bride's LifeInebriated Woman Who Took Bride’s Life In Crash Gets Sentenced To 25 Years In PrisonJamie Lee Komoroski, 26, Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison For Drunk Crash That Took Bride’s LifeWoman Sentenced To 25 Years For Drunken Crash That Took The Life Of Newlywed Bride In Golf CartWoman Who Took Newlywed’s Life In Drunk Driving Crash Sentenced To 25 Years In PrisonWoman, 26, Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison For Drunk Driving Crash That Took Newlywed’s Life“She Was My World”: Deceased Bride’s Family Left In Tears During Sentencing Of Drunk DriverDrunk Driver Who Took Bride’s Life Pleads Guilty, Will Spend 25 Years In Prison
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A 26-year-old woman pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a fatal April 2023 drunk-driving crash in South Carolina, USA, that killed a bride on her wedding day and injured the groom. Driving three times over the legal alcohol limit at 65 mph (105 km/h) in a 25-mph zone (40 km/h), Jamie Lee Komoroski struck a golf cart carrying the couple, killing bride Samantha Miller instantly.

Highlights
  • Komoroski sentenced to 25 years for killing bride in drunk driving crash.
  • Bride Samantha Miller died on wedding day; groom seriously injured.
  • Komoroski's blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit.

Komoroski, from South Carolina, pleaded guilty to driving drunk and slamming into a golf cart, killing Miller on her wedding night, and seriously injuring her husband, Aric Hutchinson.

A judge in Charleston County, South Carolina, subsequently sentenced Komoroski to decades in prison, Court TV reported on Monday (December 2).

Komoroski reportedly pleaded guilty to all charges, including reckless vehicular homicide charges and multiple counts of felony DUI with bodily injury and death.

A 26-year-old woman pleaded guilty to charges stemming from a fatal April 2023 drunk-driving crash in South Carolina, USA

Image credits: gofundme

A DUI stands for “driving under the influence”. It’s a criminal offense that occurs when someone operates a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Immediately following her plea, prosecutors summarized the facts in her case, victim impact statements were heard, and a South Carolina judge handed down a 50-year sentence to run concurrently with roughly 580 days credit for time served, as per Court TV.

This means that Komoroski’s 50-year sentence will include the time she has already spent in custody—approximately 580 days—toward the total length of her sentence.

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Image credits: gofundme

Judge Deadre Jefferson sentenced Komoroski to 25 years for reckless homicide, 15 years for the two counts of DUI involving great bodily injury, and 10 years for the felony DUI charge, ABC News 4 reported on Tuesday (December 3).

The sentences are concurrent, meaning Komoroski will spend 25 years in prison, Jefferson said.

In addition to driving 65 mph in a 25 mph, investigators reportedly said Komoroski had a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit when she plowed into the newlyweds moments after their wedding reception on April 28, 2023, in Folly Beach, South Carolina. 

The crash killed a bride on her wedding day and injured the groom

Image credits: WCBD NEWS 2

In South Carolina, the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for driving is 0.08% for drivers aged 21 and older, The Bateman Law Firm explains.

Driving with a BAC above this limit is considered DUI, which carries severe penalties including fines, license suspension, and possible jail time. 

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For drivers under 21, the limit is 0.02%, reflecting the state’s zero-tolerance policy for underage drinking and driving.

Image credits: Jenna Gribble

During victim impact statements, one by one, many of Miller’s family and friends addressed the court, according to Court TV.

Miller’s mother, Lisa Miller, reportedly described hearing sirens and yelling, “Something happened to Sam.”

Other survivors of the crash, including Benjamin and Brogan Garrett, spoke about the pain and suffering they experienced that night, the chaos at the ER following the crash, and the neverending mental and emotional trauma they still suffer, Court TV reported.

Driving three times over the legal alcohol limit at 65 mph in a 25-mph zone, Jamie Lee Komoroski struck a golf cart carrying the couple

Image credits: WCBD NEWS 2

Grieving groom and now widow Hutchinson was the last victim to share an impact statement. He tearfully said: “I have been thinking about what to say since that night, what do you say when your world has been shattered? 

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“Physically I’m in pain every day … it’s a struggle to get through every day. My world will be forever changed from what happened that night, I think about that night every single day and the last moment I had with Sam on the golf cart. 

“On the golf cart, she told me she didn’t want the night to end and I kissed her on the forehead and then the next thing I remember is waking up in the hospital.”

Image credits: gofundme

He continued: “I see my mum’s face, she’s still wearing the wedding dress from the night before, and I knew instantly. That’s why I asked, ‘Where’s Sam?’ I knew she wasn’t there.”

Hutchinson spoke through tears as he admitted he wished he died that night so his new wife did not have to leave this world alone, 7 News reported on Tuesday.

“I wish I saw you coming,” the survivor further revealed. “I’d have jumped off the golf cart so that you’d only have run me over. We did not get hit, we got ran through at 65mph (104km/h).”

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Groom Aric Hutchinson was left seriously injured

Image credits: gofundme

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He added: “There is no way any three of us should be alive, all four of us should have died that night. 

“I’m a firm believer that Sam saved us, that’s who she is, and she would’ve taken one for all of us and said, ‘Take me and save these guys.’

“The guilt with that that I live with every single second of every day is unbearable. You took the greatest human being I have ever met, she’s not coming back, she’s gone.

“She was my world and I’d give anything for one second to hold her again.”

Image credits: WCNC

Komoroski went on to apologize to the family and said she would always be embarrassed by her actions, The Daily Mail reported on Monday.

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The offender said in court: “I want them to know how sorry I am for the bottom of my heart and that I take full responsibility for my actions. 

“I will always be devastated, deeply ashamed, and terribly sorry for what I have done.”

Komoroski had been released on bond in March, seven months after Judge Michael Nettles initially denied bond and informed the parties that Komoroski would be released if the case wasn’t heard by March 2024, Court TV reported.

Bride Samantha Miller died instantly

Image credits: gofundme

Following the sentencing on Monday, Komoroski was reportedly taken into custody by the South Carolina Department of Corrections.

In April last year, Hutchinson and Miller were departing their wedding reception in South Carolina, when a Komoroski driving a Toyota Camry collided with their small golf cart.

The fatal accident left Hutchinson in urgent need of medical treatment after enduring many broken bones and even injuries to his brain. 

In a tragic turn of events, Miller didn’t survive the blow, Bored Panda previously reported.

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Image credits: gofundme

As Hutchinson had assumed control of Miller’s estate, a legal dispute spiraled out of control, as Hutchinson and Miller’s mum, Lisa Miller, went to court over the 34-year-old’s estate.

L. Miller filed to remove Hutchinson as Miller’s estate representative, citing allegations of fraud and conflict of interest. 

She also sought to block Hutchinson’s wrongful death lawsuit against bars that served Komoroski.

Nevertheless, a judge approved a partial settlement in June in the wrongful death lawsuit awarding $1 million from several businesses, Court TV reported at the time.

Other survivors of the crash spoke about the pain and suffering they experienced that night

Image credits: gofundme

The ill-fated couple wed in Folly Beach on April 28, and a Charleston County probate judge recognized the validity of their marriage on May 1 — while Hutchinson was still in a hospital recovering from injuries he sustained in the drunk driving collision.

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L. Miller’s attorneys have been contesting a document filed by Hutchinson’s aunt claiming to have known the couple for 36 years, despite Miller being only 34 at the time of her death. 

The form also stated the couple had been living together post-wedding, which was impossible as Miller had died and Hutchinson was hospitalized. 

Hutchinson’s legal team acknowledged the inaccuracies but dismissed them as irrelevant distractions from the validity of the marriage. 

“Glad to hear justice prevailed,” a reader commented

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What People Think
  • Victim Advocate: Supports the harsh sentence as justice for the tragic loss and trauma caused by the crash.

  • Second Chance Supporter: Believes the sentence is excessive and advocates for an opportunity for rehabilitation.

  • Legal Realist: Thinks legal consequences are appropriate but stresses the need for systemic reforms.

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Andréa Oldereide

Andréa Oldereide

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I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

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Andréa Oldereide

Andréa Oldereide

Writer, BoredPanda staff

I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

Donata Leskauskaite

Donata Leskauskaite

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Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

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Donata Leskauskaite

Donata Leskauskaite

Author, BoredPanda staff

Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

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Jennifer Smith
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The mother is awful thinking she has more rights to her daughter than her husband just because they were married only a short while

Beak Hookage
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have NOTHING but loathing and contempt for drunk drivers. Drunk driving killed one of my closest friends. He's not coming back either. And the fool who killed him had already been caught for DUI before, yet apparently didn't learn a damn thing, and now someone is f*****g DEAD because of it. Knowing that he was found guilty and would have gotten 10-14 years in prison does nothing to change that.

Beth Wheeler
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember when this happened last year. I feel horrible for Samantha's mother but her estate goes to her husband unless she had a will that said something else. It sounds like Lisa Miller doesn't like her son-in-law.

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Jennifer Smith
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The mother is awful thinking she has more rights to her daughter than her husband just because they were married only a short while

Beak Hookage
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have NOTHING but loathing and contempt for drunk drivers. Drunk driving killed one of my closest friends. He's not coming back either. And the fool who killed him had already been caught for DUI before, yet apparently didn't learn a damn thing, and now someone is f*****g DEAD because of it. Knowing that he was found guilty and would have gotten 10-14 years in prison does nothing to change that.

Beth Wheeler
Community Member
1 week ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember when this happened last year. I feel horrible for Samantha's mother but her estate goes to her husband unless she had a will that said something else. It sounds like Lisa Miller doesn't like her son-in-law.

Load More Comments
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