By Canadian Press

Woman driving drunk who killed bride still in her wedding dress sentenced to 25 years in prison

Dec 2, 2024 | 2:08 PM

A woman who admitted to drinking and who was driving well over twice the speed limit when she smashed into a golf cart, killing a bride who had just got married at a South Carolina beach, was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison.

Jamie Lee Komoroski, 27, pleaded guilty at the Charleston County courthouse to reckless homicide, felony DUI causing death and two counts of felony DUI causing great bodily injury before her sentencing.

Komoroski, 27, was sentenced to the maximum of 25 years in prison for felony DUI causing death by Judge Deadra Jefferson for felony DUI causing death at the Charleston County courthouse. She also was sentenced to 15 years in prison for each county of felony DUI casuing great bodily injury and 10 years for reckless homicide. The sentenes will all run at the same time.

Police said she drank at several bars on April 28, 2023, and was driving 65 mph (105 mph) on a narrow Folly Beach road with a speed limit of 25 mph (40 kph) when she slammed into the golf cart leaving a wedding. Her blood-alcohol level was 0.26%, which is more than three times the legal limit to drive.

The bride, 34-year-old Samantha Miller, died still wearing her wedding dress. The groom suffered a brain injury and numerous broken bones. The cart was thrown 100 yards (91 meters) by the crash.

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After pleading guilty, Komoroski said she realized now she was addicted to alcohol and selfishly didn’t care how her actions affected others. She promised to spend the rest of her life helping addicts and warning of the dangers of drinking and driving. She said she was “devastated, deeply ashamed and sorry” for what she did.

“I wish I could go back and undo this terrible tragedy. But I cannot. I will live the rest of my life with intense regret for what happened that night,” she said.

Aric Hutchinson cried in court as he recalled the last moments he spent with his new wife.

“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,” Hutchinson said.

He said he sees more doctors and therapists than he can count because of the physical injuries and mental anguish of the crash, and he thinks about it every single day.

“I wish I had died that night. I wish I had seen it coming. I’d have jumped off the golf cart so you would only have run me over,” Hutchinson said.

Hutchinson won $863,000 in legal settlements from three bars that served Komoroski as well as her insurance firm and the company she rented her car from.

Judge Deadra Jefferson sentenced Komoroski to the maximum of 25 years for the felony DUI causing death count. She also was sentenced to 15 years in prison for each count of felony DUI causing great bodily injury and to 10 years for reckless homicide. The sentences will all run at the same time.

Before the sentencing, Miller’s father told Komoroski he was disgusted that she appeared to never take responsibility. He told her she could apologize, but he wouldn’t listen to a word.

“The rest of my life I’m going to hate you and when I arrive in hell and you come there, I will open the door for you,” Brad Warner said. “You have ruined so many people’s lives.”

Jeffrey Collins, The Associated Press