FOLLY BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA: Lawyers representing the alleged drunk driver who struck and killed a newlywed bride on the day of her wedding have asked the public "not to rush to judgment." Jamie Lee Komoroski, 25, is accused of causing the death of Samantha Hutchinson and severely injuring her groom, Aric, on April 28.
Komoroski retained two high-profile attorneys last week, Nathan S Williams and Christopher S Gramiccioni, for her criminal case. Williams, a former federal prosecutor, is known for convincing a jury to give mass shooter Dylann Roof the death penalty. Meanwhile, Gramiccioni is said to have spent close to a decade as a prosecutor in Monmouth County, New Jersey, before entering private practice in 2021.
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Lawyers ask people to not rush to judgements
“We cannot fathom what the families are going through and offer our deepest sympathies,” the high-powered attorneys said in a statement to The Post & Courier, adding, “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.”
Komoroski, who worked as a server at a Mexican eatery, is accused of rear-ending a golf cart that the newlywed Hutchinsons were riding in after their wedding reception at Folly Beach, South Carolina on April 28.
Jamie Komoroski refused to take sobriety test
Authorities said Komoroski was going at 65 mph in a 25 mph zone in her rented Toyota Camry along a poorly lit residential street when she rammed the couple's slow-moving vehicle, which was reportedly thrown 100 yards upon impact and rolled several times before coming to a stop. Hutchinson, 34, was pronounced dead at the scene, while still wearing her white wedding gown. Aric, 34, was rushed to a hospital with several broken bones and a brain injury. He underwent two reconstruction surgeries and was discharged from the hospital on May 4.
Komoroski, who did not sustain any injuries in the crash, was arrested and charged with three counts of DUI involving death or serious bodily injury and reckless homicide. Arrest affidavits state the suspect said she had a beer and a shot of tequila before getting into the car that night. She ranked herself an eight on an impairment scale of 1 to 10 (with 10 being sober). Police said the 25-year-old reeked of alcohol but "strongly refused" a field sobriety test at the scene. She is currently remanded in custody in North Charleston after being denied a bond. A judge has reportedly signed a warrant for two vials of blood to be drawn from the suspect, and police await the test results to determine her blood alcohol level on the night of the crash.
Folly Beach Police Chief Andrew Gilreath said his detectives were interviewing residents and bar owners reviewing credit card receipts, and recovering data from Komoroski’s cellphone to create a timeline of her actions leading up to the incident. The suspect reportedly grew up in New Jersey but recently relocated to South Carolina. She graduated from Coastal Carolina University in 2020 with a degree in marketing. Komoroski is said to have shared a home with two other women on James Island and worked as a server at the Mexican restaurant Taco Boy, where the manager described her as having a "good personality for the job." However, she was fired from the position after the charges were brought against her.
