Lawyers for the woman accused of murdering a South Carolina bride on her wedding night while driving while intoxicated have criticized the portrayal of their client as a careless thug, claiming she poses no threat to the public.
Jamie Lee Komoroski, 25, had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit when she drove into newlyweds Samantha Miller, 34, and Aric Hutchinson, 36, police said.
The couple was being driven on a golf cart after their Folly Beach wedding reception when they were hit by the vehicle Komoroski was driving on April 28.
The crash killed Samantha and seriously injured Aric, along with the other passengers.
Komoroski has since been charged with three counts of DUI resulting in bodily harm or death and one count of reckless manslaughter.
Jamie Lee Komoroski (pictured) had a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit when she drove into newlyweds Samantha Miller, 34, and Aric Hutchinson, 36,
Miller died and Hutchinson was seriously injured when their mangled buggy (pictured) rolled multiple times when thrown 100 yards by Komoroski’s Toyota Camry
Although she was initially denied bail, her attorneys, Christopher Gramiccioni and Nathan Williams, filed a motion asking for $100,000 bail.
As part of that bond, the lawyers have suggested that Komoroski attend and complete an inpatient rehabilitation program before heading to her mother’s home in New Jersey, where there is no access to alcohol or a vehicle.
The lawyers also criticized the portrayal of a “bad guy” that they say was made up by the media of their client.
“Certain media reports paint a picture of the accused as an unrepentant villain who ostensibly had a history of partying, extrapolated from handpicked photos posted on social accounts that appear to show the accused attending a Halloween party or hanging out with friends while he is at university,” it reads. the movement.
“As this court knows, such characterizations of the accused serve only to fuel public sentiment and remain irrelevant in determining whether Ms. Komoroski is a flight risk or a danger to the community,” it continued.
The motion also argued that Komoroski has no criminal history and has a strong family unit, suggesting she would pose no threat to the wider public if released.
Aric Hutchinson has separately filed a lawsuit against Komoroski.
Lawyers for the grieving widower said, “The tragedy shattered the entire family, except for those named in the lawsuit.”
In addition to Komoroski, the lawsuit cites several establishments that allegedly served the defendant alcohol before she got behind the wheel, despite her being “noticeably and visibly intoxicated.”
In his case, filed Wednesday in Charleston, Aric Hutchinson alleged that Komoroski “bar hopped” before getting behind the wheel.
The couple was driven on a golf cart after their Folly Beach wedding reception
Hutchinson filed a wrongful death suit against Komoroski, claiming she jumped all day before getting behind the wheel. He is seen here at a beachside memorial to his late bride
Lawyers argued that Komoroski has no criminal history and has a strong family unit and would pose no danger if released
Hutchinson’s lawyers argued that the bars where she drank “have a duty of care not to let patrons get drunk, not to serve alcohol to intoxicated persons.”
Hutchinson representative Danny Dalton said: “The state licenses restaurants and bars for the privilege of serving alcohol, and with that privilege comes a responsibility for the community to serve customers responsibly and to refuse service to individuals who are visibly drunk.’
They said they hope the lawsuit helps protect the community from drunk driving by focusing on liquor license responsibility.
“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 will allow us to get the answers that Samantha’s family deserves,” he said. dalton.
Komoroski was reportedly driving 65 mph in a 25 mph zone and her blood alcohol level was 0.261 — more than three times the driving limit.
She rammed into a golf cart and drove the bride and groom and several others to their Airbnb.
The mutilated buggy rolled several times as it was thrown 100 yards by Komoroski’s Toyota Camry.
Samantha died from her catastrophic injuries, while Aric has been left in a wheelchair after two broken legs, multiple facial fractures and a concussion.
The 34-year-old’s devastated family revealed her heartbreaking final words on Tuesday, two weeks after the tragedy.
Her sister Mandi Jenkins told The Today Show, “She looked at him on the golf cart and said, ‘I want this day to last forever.'”
Komoroski had a blood alcohol level of more than three times the legal driving limit
Miller and Hutchinson are pictured at their wedding ceremony in Folly Beach, South Carolina
Behind the wheel of a rented Toyota Camry, Komoroski was traveling at 105 km/h in a 40 km/h zone, along a dimly lit residential street when the fatal accident occurred.
She reportedly told responding officers in the aftermath of the crash, “Suddenly something hit me. I didn’t do anything wrong.’
Komoroski allegedly admitted to drinking two drinks an hour before the collision: a beer and a tequila pineapple cocktail.
However, her blood alcohol level indicated she had nearly 10 drinks.
Sergeant Zac Halpern of the Folly Beach Police Department reported asking Komoroski how drunk she was on a scale of one to ten, and she mumbled that she was an eight before demanding a lawyer.
Officers who arrived at the scene tried to administer a sobriety test, but she refused and screamed for her boyfriend.
Police noted that she appeared to be trying to hide her eyes from them.
Komoroski was the sole occupant of the vehicle and was charged with three counts of DUI resulting in grievous bodily harm or death and one count of reckless homicide.
Hutchinson has had two reconstruction surgeries and is about to undergo another, as well as numerous broken bones and brain injuries
Komoroski, a logistics account manager, remains in custody at Sheriff Al Cannon’s detention center and will appear in court in June in connection with the incident.
She faces up to 25 years in prison for the bride’s death, as well as a fine of up to $25,100, and an additional 15 years and $10,100 for the serious injury to the men in the buggy.
For the reckless murder, she could face a 10-year prison sentence and a fine of up to $5,000, and her driver’s license could be revoked for five years upon release.
A GoFundMe page for the funeral and medical expenses has now reached more than $728,000.