Judge awards $1.3 million in compensation to victims of traffic accident in which bride died on her wedding night

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC/Gray News) – A judge has awarded more than $1 million to the victims of a car crash last year that left a bride dead on her wedding night and injured the groom and two others.

The accident occurred on April 28, 2023, around 10 p.m., when a vehicle struck a golf cart from behind in the 1200 block of East Ashley Avenue, Folly Beach Police Chief Andrew Gilreath said.

The person killed in the accident, Samantha Miller, had just married Aric Hutchinson earlier that evening, and the occupants of the golf cart were returning the newlywed couple to their rental home when they were struck by a vehicle driven by Jamie Lee Komoroski, then 25 years old.

Investigators concluded that Komoroski was traveling 65 miles per hour at the time of the accident.

A partial settlement was reached Tuesday in the wrongful death lawsuit against the accused driver and several Lowcountry restaurants and bars.

Hutchinson and his attorney Danny Dalton were in the Charleston County courtroom during Tuesday’s hearing and said they were pleased with the settlement.

However, no agreement has yet been reached with all defendants, as the legal dispute with Jamie Komoroski and the Taco Boy restaurant is still ongoing.

“The reason we are here today is because of a tragic incident,” said Dalton. “The deceased, Ms. Samantha Miller, was killed in a car accident. Her husband, Mr. Aric Hutchinson, is here with us. He is the personal representative of the estate.”

The total compensation awarded by Judge Roger Young to Hutchinson, the estate of Miller and the two other golf cart passengers was $1.3 million.

After deducting legal fees and court costs, the total amount was over $863,000.

Another reason for the lower total despite the fees, according to Dalton, is an ongoing inheritance dispute between Hutchinson and the bride’s mother, Lisa Miller. In December 2023 Lisa Miller denied that her daughter and Hutchinson were ever legally married and asked that Hutchinson be replaced as representative for her daughter’s estate.

“The expenses for Samantha Miller’s estate are a little higher than one would expect. There was an estate dispute that took a lot of time and resources,” Dalton said.

Folly Beach bars targeted in the lawsuit, which was settled Tuesday, included the Crab Shack, the Drop-In Bar and Deli and Snapper Jacks.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car also made a settlement because Komoroski was driving a rental car on the night of the accident.

El Gallo Bar and Grill was initially named as a defendant in the lawsuit, but the case was dropped after a receipt was presented showing that Komoroski had not purchased any alcohol.

Judge Young presided over the hearing and expressed how difficult hearings in wrongful death cases can be.

“I’m like many others. I know this case from media coverage. Very tragic circumstances. When it comes to a wrongful death lawsuit, by definition it’s not easy to take. No amount of money can bring people back,” he said.

The status of the litigation regarding a settlement with Komoroski or Taco Boy is not yet known.

The complaint alleges that Komoroski was only employed at Taco Boy for a short time. The suit claims the restaurant was negligent because it “organized, arranged and supervised an employee event/meeting knowing that excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages would be purchased for, served to and/or consumed by employees attending the event/meeting.”

When the lawsuit originally submitted, Taco Boy said Komoroski was not at their restaurant on the day of the fatal accident and was not served alcohol there. The statement also denies there was “an organized employee event centered around drinking.”

Below is a breakdown of the damages each company agreed to pay as part of the settlement:

• Crab Shack – $640,000
• The Drop-In Bar & Deli – $320,000
• Snapper Jacks – $320,000
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car – $240,000
• Samantha Miller’s progressive politics – $75,000

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