A drunk driver rammed through the golf cart of a newlywed couple killing the bride and leaving the groom seriously hurt as they were leaving their wedding reception in Unites States' South Carolina, media reports said.
The driver Jamie Komoroski, 25, was arrested and charged with three counts of DUI causing serious bodily injury/death and one count of reckless homicide, authorities said. Komoroski’s blood results are pending, but an investigation into the crash determined she was driving 65 mph when she struck the golf cart, police said. The bride was identified as Samantha 'Sam' Hutchinson, 34, and the groom as Aric Hutchinson by GoFundMe page which also posted a photograph of the couple. Ben, one of the passengers, is also in serious condition, according to the page.
The page described the horror of the incident that struck them soon after they walked down the aisle. “struck from behind by a drunk driver traveling 65 MPH in a 25 MPH zone,” it reads. The family members were escorting the couple from the reception when they were hit from behind. ''The golf cart was thrown over 100 yards and rolled several times,'' the page says.
“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,” the groom’s mother wrote on a GoFundMe page. “Aric has lost the love of his life,” she said.
“The golf cart was thrown over 100 yards and rolled several times,” the page said. Aric suffered a brain injury and broke numerous bones, his mother said. The majority of his face is bruised and he remains in serious condition at the hospital, where he has undergone two reconstructive surgeries.
The GoFundMe fundraiser, which was launched by Hutchinson’s mother, announced help pay for the bride’s burial and medical costs for the groom and his family. The couple made their home in the groom’s home state of Utah as well as South Carolina, according to the GoFundMe. The bride originally hailed from North Carolina.
Samantha’s employer, XenTegra, an international IT provider based out of Huntersville, North Carolina, also condoled her death on LinkedIn, noting she was an “integral member” of its team. “She carried a light about her, one that shined so brightly upon everyone with whom she interacted. Simply put, Samantha brought an abundance of joy and laughter to the workplace,” the company wrote, noting she was a dedicated and detail-oriented worker, who went above and beyond.
