A groom who tragically lost his wife on their wedding day has sued the alleged drunk driver that hit them, as well as the bars who served her the drinks.
Samantha "Sam" Hutchinson, 34, and her new husband Aric Hutchinson, 36, got married on April 28, but what was meant to be the happiest day of their lives quickly descended into a tragedy.
As the pair were leaving their wedding reception in Folly Beach, South Carolina, they boarded a golf cart that was going to take them from the venue.
Moments later, they were struck by an alleged drunk driver which caused the cart to roll and sadly, the impact killed Sam, and Aric was rushed to hospital with severe injuries.
The alleged drunk driver was named as 25-year-old Jamie Lee Komoroski who was arrested and charged with DUI involving death and reckless homicide, per CNN.
In an affidavit obtained by the New York Post, police reported that Komoroski was driving at 65 mph (104 km/h), causing the golf cart to roll several times.
As per the Daily Mail, Aric has since filed a case in Charleston where he is suing the alleged drunk driver after he accused her of "bar hopping" prior to the fatal incident.
The grieving 36-year-old is also taking legal action against five bars that Komoroski allegedly visited as he claims that they served her alcohol despite her being visibly intoxicated.
According to the lawsuit, the 25-year-old visited El Gallo Bar and Grill near Daniel Island before traveling to Folly Beach where she bar-hopped to places allegedly including Drop In, The Crab Shack, and Snapper Jack.
Danny Dalton, Aric's attorney, stated: "The state grants restaurants and bars a license for the privilege to serve alcohol, and with that privilege comes a responsibility to the community to serve patrons responsibly and to deny service to individuals who are visibly intoxicated.
"There are still many details we don't know about the sequence of events leading up to the tragic crash, but by filing a lawsuit, we can begin the legal discovery process that allows us to get the answers that Samantha's family deserves," he concluded.
Following her arrest, the 25-year-old was booked on suicide watch at Charleston County jail after she reportedly told an officer that she wished to take her own life.
Over $725,000 has been raised for Aric to cover his medical bills, with the money also being used to give Sam a proper send-off.
Our thoughts continue to be with those affected by this tragedy.
