Lawyers for the alleged drunk driver who has been charged with killing a bride on her wedding night have slammed the "villain" portrayal she is getting.
As previously reported, Samantha 'Sam' Hutchinson, 34, and her new husband Aric Hutchinson, 36, got married on April 28, but the happiest day of their lives quickly descended into a tragedy.
As the couple was leaving their wedding reception in Folly Beach, South Carolina, they went on a golf cart that was going to take them from the venue.
However, they were struck by an alleged drunk driver which caused the vehicle to be thrown more than 100 yards, killing Samantha. The impact also left Aric with severe injuries, including two broken legs - with one having to be surgically repaired.
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.
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 remains in custody and her lawyers - Nathan S. Williams, and Christopher S. Gramiccioni - have filed a motion for bond with a bail set at $100,000.
As part of the bond, they urged that Komoroski completes an inpatient rehabilitation program before living at her mother's home in New Jersey - with no access to alcohol or a vehicle.
In addition to this, the attorneys have hit back at the way she has been portrayed as a "villain" in the media, expressing outrage at the published pictures of her at parties.
"Certain media reports paint a picture of the accused as an unrepentant villain who ostensibly had a history of partying behavior, extrapolated from handpicked photographs posted to social accounts appearing to depict the accused attending a Halloween party or socializing with friends while in college," they said, per ABC News.
They also contended that such narratives "only serve to inflame public sentiment" and are unrelated to determining whether she is a threat to the community.
"As this court is aware, such characterizations of the accused serve only to inflame public sentiment and remain irrelevant to the determination as to whether Ms. Komoroski poses a flight risk or any danger to the community," they added.
Furthermore, the motion added that Komoroski has no criminal history and has strong familial support.
Meanwhile, the husband of the bride has sued the alleged drunk driver, as well as the five bars she allegedly visited before the tragedy.
According to the lawsuit, Komoroski 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.
