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Aric Hutchinson, a South Carolina groom who lost his newlywed wife Samantha Miller in a DUI crash just hours after their wedding, spoke out for the first time weeks after the tragic incident.
On April 28, Samantha Miller, 34, and Aric Hutchinson, 36, were reportedly leaving the wedding reception on a golf cart, when they were struck from behind by Jamie Komoroski, who was travelling 65 MPH in a 25 MPH zone. As a result, the golf cart was supposedly thrown over 100 yards and rolled several times, killing the bride and critically injuring Aric Hutchinson, who went through multiple reconstructive surgeries after sustaining a brain injury and several broken bones.
Huctchinson’s brother-in-law Benjamin Garrett and nephew Brogan Garrett who were in the golf cart alongside the bride and groom also sustained injuries at the scene. Komoroski, 25, was arrested and charged with three felony DUIs resulting in great bodily injury or death and one count of reckless homicide.
Weeks after the incident, Hutchinson, who is still trying to come to terms with his beloved wife’s death, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the alleged drunk driver in the crash and several local establishments where Komoroski had been seen visiting throughout the day. Komoroski’s toxicology report showed that her blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit at the time of the crash.
Aric Hutchinson recalls the moment he learned about Samantha Miller's death
On the heels of the lawsuit, in an interview with ABC’s Good Morning America, Aric Hutchinson, who has been recovering at home for more than a week, recalled the harrowing moment he first learned his bride was dead.
In the interview on Friday, May 19, a grief-stricken Hutchinson told ABC correspondent Eva Pilgrim that he had no recollection of the events that transpired after they were struck in the deadly crash. Hutchinson said that after waking from the surgery, his mother reportedly broke the devastating news that his wife did not survive the crash:
“I remember waking up. It’s kind of foggy, out of sorts. I could see my mom’s face, and you could just tell that something was wrong. I asked her, ‘Where’s Sam? Where’s Sam?’ And that’s when she told me there was an incident and that Sam didn’t make it.”
During the interview, a visibly upset Hutchinson said that the last thing he remembered from the fateful night was Samantha, brimming with happiness, saying she did not want the night to end.
“The last thing I remember [Samantha] saying was she wanted the night to never end.”
Hutchinson recalled the joyful moments of the night before his life was turned upside down. Hutchinson recounted being surrounded by family and friends who had flown in to celebrate their wedding day. He added that he is still grappling with the tragic turn of events.
“I’m still trying to wrap my head around it — that night going from an all-time high to an all-time low. It’s pretty rough to comprehend.”
He noted:
“She was so happy.”
A GofundMe created for the bride and groom in the wake of the incident stated that Samantha Miller and Aric Hutchinson were together for three years before they decided to wed on April 28, 2023. Samantha, a North Carolina native, was living in both Aric’s home state of Utah and South Carolina before she was killed.
