The bereaved husband of Samantha Miller Hutchinson expressed his grief concerning his wife’s demise on the same day the woman who killed the new bride was sentenced in court.
A judge presiding over the case of Samantha Miller Hutchinson, who was killed on her wedding day, came to a verdict concerning the sentencing of Jamie Lee Komoroski, who pled guilty to an array of charges concerning what happened.
Samantha died on April 28, 2023, when Jamie crashed into a golf cart that Samantha, her husband Aric Hutchinson, and two other members of Aric’s family were in. According to investigators, Jamie was driving at 65 mph when the crash happened.
Aric’s family, which included the widower’s brother-in-law Benjamin Garrett and Benjamin’s son Brogan Garrett, were escorting Aric and Samantha back to their rental home in the golf cart.
The incident, which took Samantha’s life and left the three others injured, occurred on Folly Beach, South Carolina at around 10 p.m. in the 1200 block of East Ashley Avenue, according to Folly Beach Police Chief Andrew Gilreath.
As a result, Judge Deadra Jefferson sentenced Jamie to 25 years in prison following her admission of guilt to one count of felony DUI, one count of reckless homicide, and two counts of DUI causing great bodily injury or death.
Broken down by each count, Jamie faces 10 years for the reckless homicide charge, 25 years for the felony DUI with death, and 15 for the two involving great bodily injury.
However, the judge noted that because all her sentences are concurrent, Jamie’s total time in prison amounts to 25 years. During her trial, at which Judge Deadra asked Jamie about her decision to plead guilty, a news outlet reported that the woman told the court she “was not coerced into entering the guilty pleas and was waiving a jury trial to which she would be entitled.”
Speaking on the matter after Jamie’s sentencing, Aric expressed, “I feel like the punishment fit the crime. 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.”
Prior to the legal proceedings, both Samantha and Aric’s relatives had their time to address the court. Benjamin, who had been driving the golf cart when the crash happened, spoke about his difficulty grasping the fact that he failed to complete the one task he had for the wedding.
“It was my only job and I didn’t get to complete it. We didn’t get hit, we got ran [sic] through. 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,” divulged Benjamin. Meanwhile, Jamie, along with her family members, also got the chance to speak. She stated, “For the rest of my life I will carry this guilt and take full responsibility.”
On the same day that Jamie was sentenced, Aric got emotional as he addressed the court with a statement about his pain in having vowed to protect Samantha only to lose her mere hours after making that promise.
Aric Hutchinson speaking about the death of his late wife in court, posted on December 2, 2024 | Source: Facebook/WCNC Charlotte
“It’s something no one should ever go through. I think about that night every single day and the last moments I had with Sam […] 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,” shared a teary-eyed Aric.
Aric Hutchinson | Source: Facebook/WCNC Charlotte
He continued, “I see my mom’s face, 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.”
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Following the crash, Aric’s mom, Annette Hutchinson, set up a GoFundMe page to help cover the costs of Samantha’s burial and the medical expenses for Aric and his other loved ones.
After contextualizing the accident and what happened, Annette penned, “Sam died from her injuries. Aric is in serious condition and has had one of two reconstruction surgeries, numerous broken bones, and a brain injury, he will have a long recovery. Ben and Brogan were also injured, Ben seriously.”
She went on to note, “I was handed Aric’s wedding ring in a plastic bag at the hospital, five hours after Sam placed it on his finger and they read each other their vows. Aric has lost the love of his life.” Annette accompanied her message with devastating photos showing how severely injured all three men were.
On September 13, 2023, Annette shared an update in which she expressed her immense gratitude to all the people who had donated and sent their condolences.
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The widower’s mom also provided updates on how Aric, Benjamin, and Brogan were doing health-wise. At that time, Annette disclosed that Aric, who had been in the ICU, was dealing with immense grief and stress, and had been re-admitted to the hospital twice due to nausea and severe pain.
Aric Hutchinson speaking about his late wife at the memorial event the family had for her. | Source: Facebook/Brittany Clawson Hutchinson
Benjamin remained in the hospital for eleven days and was only able to reunite with his family in Utah once he was physically capable of flying across the country. “We are forever grateful that my daughter’s son Brogan was relatively uninjured, other than a concussion, bruises, scratches, and soreness,” added Annette.
She went on to divulge sentimental details about Samantha and Aric’s love story, which began in early 2019 and saw them travel together, move across the country to be together and get engaged in June 2021.