The family of Samantha Miller has been awarded a $1.3 million settlement a little more than a year after the South Carolina bride was killed in a terrible car accident on her wedding night.
In April 2023, Miller, along with her groom Aric Hutchinson, and two others, were on their way back to their hotel after the wedding in a golf cart when then-25-year-old Jamie Lee Komoroski slammed her rental car into them. She was going 65 mph. Although Hutchinson and the two others survived the crash, the bride tragically died.
Komoroski’s blood alcohol level was reported to be at 0.261 percent, more than three times the legal limit. Before the accident, she had been drinking at multiple bars in Folly Beach.
She was indicted on charges of one count of reckless homicide and three counts of felony DUI resulting in bodily harm.
According to local media outlet, WDBJ, a judge granted Miller’s family the settlement on Tuesday, June 18. Following the legal fees, the recipients, including Miller’s husband Aric Hutchinson, Miller’s estate, and the other two injured, will receive $863,000.
Part of that sum is from Enterprise Rental Cars, the owners of the vehicle Komoroski was driving when the accident occurred, and several of the Folly Beach bars that served Komoroski.
Among the restaurants listed in the lawsuit was Taco Bowl, which had employed Komoroski for a short time. Court documents allege that the establishment was negligent by “organizing, arranging, and supervising an employee function/meeting knowing that excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages would be purchased for, served to, and/or consumed by the employees attending the function/meeting.”
At the time of the lawsuit filing, Taco Boy stated Komoroski was not in its restaurant. It also stated Komoroski was not served alcohol there on the day the crash took place.
Mother of Bride Who Died in Crash Raised Questions About the Legal Status of Her Daughter’s Marriage
In Dec. 2023, eight months after the crash, the bride’s mother, Lisa Miller, challenged her daughter and Hutchinson’s marriage.
She claimed she wasn’t sure if they were ever legally married at the time of the crash. She asked to replace Hutchinson as a representative for her daughter’s estate.
Following the settlement ruling, Hutchinson’s lawyer released a statement. “What we are here for today stems from a tragic incident,” attorney Danny Dalton stated. “The decedent, Ms. Samantha Miller, was killed in a driving collision. Her husband, Mr. Aric Hutchinson, is here with us. He is the proper personal representative for the estate.”
Dalton confirmed that the estate dispute is still ongoing. “The expenses as for the estate of Samantha Miller are a bit higher than you would anticipate. There was an estate dispute that took a significant amount of time and resources.”
Judge Young, who oversaw the hearing, expressed how difficult wrongful death hearings can be. “I’m like a lot of people, I am aware of this case from the amount of media coverage it had. Very tragic circumstances. By definition any time we have a wrongful death suit, they are not easy to bear. No money can bring back people.”
The GoFundMe for Hutchinson and Miller’s families raised more than $734,000.