Family mourning bride killed in Folly Beach DUI crash

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCBD) – A family is mourning an unthinkable loss after a bride was killed on her wedding night.

Samantha Miller and Aric Hutchinson vowed to spend the rest of their lives together on Friday in a ceremony on Folly Beach. Miller, originally from Charlotte, NC moved to James Island about two years ago with Hutchinson, who is from Utah.

“I’ve never seen my sister look so beautiful and so happy,” said Miller’s sister, Mandi Jenkins.  

Jenkins said the couple wed at 5 o’clock, then celebrated into the night at the Pelican Watch Pavilion. According to Jenkins, the newlyweds left the venue around 9:45 p.m. on a golf cart to go back to their Airbnb.

The couple’s brother-in-law and nephew were in the front as they rode in the back.

“And the sirens started. And the sirens kept going. And the sirens didn’t stop. And my mom said, ‘something happened to Sam,’ not knowing anything,” Jenkins told News 2.

Her mother’s intuition was right. The golf cart was on East Ashley Avenue near 13^th Street when police said 25-year-old Jamie Komoroski rear-ended the vehicle while going 65 miles per hour.

Jenkins and her mother were alerted by other family members what happened, and they rushed to the scene.

“It was so dark, but it was so light because of all of the police. I can’t take it out of my brain and my mom, and I ran holding hands. No shoes, no bra, no nothing, just screaming ‘Sammy!’” Jenkins recalled.

Miller was still in her wedding dress when she was killed at just 34 years old. Her sister said she was the light of everyone’s life.

Meanwhile, Komoroski is facing three counts of felony DUI resulting in great bodily injury and/or death.

“Thirty-four, wants to be a mom. And she can’t. My sister, a daughter, a wife, died in her wedding dress because someone made a terrible decision to get in the car,” Jenkins said, fighting through tears.

Hutchinson, according to Jenkins, has already undergone multiple surgeries. He’s expected to be OK, but she said he still has a long road to recovery. The other two passengers are also recovering.

Miller’s family has started a GoFundMe. To donate, click here.