Driver gets max sentence in S.C. crash that killed newlywed
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A judge sentenced the woman who entered guilty pleas to multiple charges in a 2023 DUI crash on Folly Beach that killed a bride hours after her wedding and injured two others.
Jamie Lee Komoroski was sentenced to 25 years in prison, after pleading guilty to one count of felony DUI, two counts of DUI causing great bodily injury or death and one count of reckless homicide.
Judge Deadra Jefferson sentenced her to 10 years for the reckless homicide charge, to 15 years for the two DUI involving great bodily injury charges and 25 years to the charge of felony DUI with death.
Because the sentences are concurrent, she faces a total of 25 years in prison, Jefferson said.
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The judge questioned Komoroski about her decision to plead guilty to the charges. Komoroski told the court she was guilty, was not coerced into entering the guilty pleas and was waiving a jury trial to which she would be entitled.
The charges Komoroski faced stemmed from an April 28, 2023, crash on Folly Beach. Folly Beach Police Chief Andrew Gilreath said the crash happened at approximately 10 p.m. that night in the 1200 block of East Ashley Avenue.
Investigators said the vehicle Komoroski was driving was traveling at a speed of 65 mph when it struck a golf cart occupied by newlyweds Samantha Miller and Aric Hutchinson and two of Hutchinson’s family .
“I feel like the punishment fit the crime,” Aric Hutchinson said after the sentencing. “I do think she’s sorry. However, that doesn’t change the fact that Sam’s not here, my wife’s not here, the family we planned, all of our injuries. So that’ll take some time for sure.”
Investigators said the vehicle Komoroski was driving was traveling at a speed of 65 mph when it struck a golf cart. It was occupied by newlyweds Samantha Miller and Aric Hutchinson and two of Hutchinson’s family , his brother-in-law, Benjamin Garrett, and his son, Brogan.
Miller died and the other three were injured in that crash.
Hutchinson’s family were taking the newlywed couple back to their rental home in the golf cart when the crash happened.
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Before the judge imposed the sentence, relatives of both Miller and Hutchinson addressed the court. of Komoroski’s family and her ers also spoke to the judge.
Benjamin Garrett told the court he was driving the golf cart on the night of the crash. Garrett said his only job for the wedding was to drive the newlyweds back to where they were staying, something that haunts him to this day.
He said his only job for the wedding was to drive the newlyweds back to where they were staying — and the fact that he didn’t do that haunts him to this day.
“It was my only job and I didn’t get to complete it,” he said.
Garrett was also seriously injured in the crash. He said to this day, he thinks about whether he could have done anything differently during the ride that could have spared Miller’s life.
“We didn’t get hit, we got ran through,” Hutchinson said. “All four of us should have died that night. I believe Sam saved us. It’s who she is, she would have taken one for all of us.”
Komoroski was the last to speak before sentencing.
“For the rest of my life, I will carry this guilt and take full responsibility,” she said.
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