The attorneys representing the suspected drunk driver who struck and killed a bride on her wedding day have begged the public to not "rush to judgment".
On April 28, Samantha "Sam" Hutchinson, 34, and her spouse Aric Hutchinson were celebrating their marriage on Folly Beach, South Carolina with family and friends.
The newlywed couple left their reception at 10:00 PM and got into a golf cart that was meant to take them from the venue. However, tragedy soon struck.
The pair was suddenly rear-ended by an alleged drunk driver which caused the vehicle to be thrown more than 100 yards and claim the life of Samantha.
The groom's mom, Annette, set up a GoFundMe page where she shared more details of the heartbreaking events. She wrote that the accident left her son in critical condition and revealed that her son-in-law Benjamin Garrett and grandson Brogan Garrett were also involved.
On May 8, she provided an update on the fundraiser and informed people that Aric suffered "multiple injuries," including two broken legs - with one having to be surgically repaired.
Alongside that, the mom said that he had "broken bones in his face which also had to be surgically repaired [and a] broken vertebrae’s in his back, brain bleeds, and numerous cuts with stitches".
Annette added that her son is now "physically recovering" at home while he comes to terms with the painful loss of his wife and is now planning the funeral along with her family.
The driver of the car has been named as 25-year-old Jamie Lee Komoroski, and she was arrested and charged with DUI involving death and reckless homicide. She was allegedly under the influence of alcohol when the tragic incident occurred, as reported by Fox News.
Police officers said that she was going 40 mph over the 25 mph speed limit in her rented Toyota Camry along a badly lit street when she collided with the couple's golf cart, per The New York Post.
According to arrest affidavits, Komoroski said she had a beer and a shot of tequila before getting in her car that night. She also ranked herself as eight on the impairment scale of one to ten (with ten being sober) and allegedly "strongly refused" a field sobriety test at the scene.
She has been booked on suicide watch at Charleston County jail after she reportedly told an officer that she wished to take her own life.
In addition to this, she hired two high-powered lawyers, Nathan S. Williams, and Christopher S. Gramiccioni, to defend her in her criminal case. The pair released a joint statement urging the public to listen to their client's case before passing judgment.
"We cannot fathom what the families are going through and offer our deepest sympathies," they wrote, per Post & Courier. "We simply ask that there not be a rush to judgment. Our court system is founded upon principles of justice and mercy and that is where all facts will come to light."
Meanwhile, the groom's family updated the donations page - which has amassed $711,429, exceeding the $100,000 goal - with a message thanking the public for their support.
"We wish to thank everyone who has given us hope through thoughtful words of encouragement and generous donations," the mother wrote on behalf of her family. "Also the communities of support in Folly Beach, James Island, Charleston, South Carolina, and back home in Utah, who are helping us get through this a day at a time."
"Also, our hearts go out to the first on the scene, first responders, the police, and all the staff at MUSC hospital, we are forever changed by the love we have received," she concluded.
Our thoughts remain with all those affected by this tragedy.
.png_mLRugh?tr=h-40&config=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)
.png_mLRugh?tr=h-184&config=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)
