From the altar to tragedy: they got married and five hours later the fiancée died in an accident

For a couple it was the happiest day of their lives: Aric and Samantha were married in an emotional ceremony. But 5 hours later, when they were leaving the party, it all ended in incredible drama: they were hit by a drunk driver. The bride died and the groom was hospitalized in serious condition.

The newly wed couple were on a golf cart with two relatives when they were hit by a speeding vehicle. Samantha Miller, 34, of Charlotte, North Carolina, died instantly. The other three occupants of the golf cart, including the boyfriend, were injured.

The groom, Aric Hutchinson, was hospitalized with serious injuries, including a brain injury and broken bones, his mother, Annette Hutchinson, said in a post on the GoFundMe page. to raise money for medical expenses and funeral services.

“They gave me Aric’s wedding ring in a plastic bag at the hospital, five hours after Sam had put it on her finger and their wedding vows had been read. Aric has lost the love of his life,” Hutchinson wrote on the website.

The woman said her son, who was undergoing reconstruction surgery for injuries sustained in the crash, faces a “long recovery”. As of Tuesday morning, they had received more than $385,300 in donations to the GoFundMe page to help families.

The suspect, who was driving a rental car, has been identified as Jamie Lee Komoroski, 25 years old. It was driving at 100 mph and slowed only slightly before colliding with the golf cart around 10 p.m. local time, according to investigators.

Komoroski was charged with one count of manslaughter and three counts of driving under the influence or drugs resulting in grievous bodily harm, according to case records.

Miller’s death prompted a series of messages in her honor from those who knew her. “Words cannot express how devastated we are by her loss,” her employer, XenTegra, a consulting firm in Huntersville, North Carolina, said in a statement. Miller had been with the company since 2020 and worked in the marketing department.

“He gave off a light that illuminated everyone he interacted with. Simply put, Samantha brought so much joy and laughter to the workplace,” she said, “We will always remember Samantha’s smile, laughter and dedication to work, friends and family.”