The woman charged with drunkenly crashing into a golf cart, killing a just-married South Carolina bride, sobbed in court Tuesday as a judge refused to spring her from jail.
Jamie Lee Komoroski, 25, who appeared in Charleston County Detention Center via video, burst into tears when Judge Michael Nettles denied releasing her on bond, saying he thought she was a flight risk, Live 5 News reported.
The court heard from relatives of Samantha Miller, 34, the bride who was killed in the April 28 wreck that also left the groom and two others seriously injured.
“(Komoroski) didn’t just kill my child,” Miller’s mother, Lisa, said tearfully during the hearing.
“She killed all of us.”
Komoroski is accused of driving her Toyota Camry over twice the speed limit down a quiet Folly Beach road with a blood alcohol content of 0.261.
The Coastal Carolina University graduate smashed her vehicle into the golf cart carrying Miller, her new husband, Aric Hutchinson, and two relatives from their nearby wedding reception.
Miller was pronounced dead at the scene, while Hutchinson and the two others were treated for extensive injuries.
“This is certainly a very tragic situation for all concerned,” Nettles said after delivering his decision on Tuesday.
Komoroski — who was allegedly belligerent at the scene of the crash, telling cops, “I did nothing wrong” — was subsequently charged with reckless vehicular homicide and three counts of driving under the influence causing death or great bodily injury.
Her attorneys previously requested $100,000 bond with the understanding that Komoroski would attend a substance abuse rehab program before being released to her mother’s supervision.
The former waitress has no criminal history and is not a threat to public safety, they argued unsuccessfully.
“We appreciate the court’s decision to release Jamie on bond in March 2024 if the State is not ready for trial, but we nonetheless believe that she has met the legal criteria for release today,” defense attorney Chris Gramiccioni said in a statement.
Everything you need to know about Sam Hutchinson’s tragic death
Who was Sam Hutchinson?
The 34-year-old married her husband, Aric, in a heartwarming wedding that had a tragic ending.
Hutchinson was reportedly killed by Jamie Lee Komoroski, an alleged drunk driver, while the bride and groom exited on a golf cart shortly after their wedding reception.
Hutchinson was declared dead at the scene while her husband was hospitalized with severe injuries.
The bride’s sister, Mandi Jenkins, recalled it as “the best day” of the newlywed’s life.
The groom’s mom added: “Aric has lost the love of his life.”
What will happen to Jamie Lee Komoroski?
Komoroski, 25, allegedly plowed into the Hutchinsons’ golf cart while driving around 65 miles per hour, according to Folly Beach police.
The driver reportedly smelled of alcohol but refused to take a sobriety test.
She was charged with three felony DUIs resulting in great bodily injury or death and one count of reckless homicide.
When asked how she felt on a scale of 1 to 10 — with 10 being completely sober — Komoroski allegedly rated herself an 8, WCIV reported.
Komoroski was booked under suicide watch after telling an officer she wanted to die, according to WCIV.
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The judge asked that both the prosecution and defense work to expedite Komoroski’s trial, which is scheduled for March 2024.
If the case is not heard by that time, she could be released on $150,000 surety bond and subject to electronic monitoring under house arrest, Nettles ruled.
In May, Komoroski expressed optimism that she might be out of jail soon, telling her boyfriend in a recorded jailhouse call that “the head person of Charleston County” wanted her to be home with her family.
“She’s really nice, and I think she’s gonna help me … things are looking up,” she said on the call, which was published by the Post and Courier.
In other recordings, Komoroski complained about not having an exercise mat to do crunches in her cell, as well as the jail food and other regulations, the outlet said.
Also in May, Hutchinson, 36, filed a wrongful death suit against Komoroski and several of the bars and restaurants that allegedly served her in the hours before the crash.
Komoroski, the lawsuit claims, was given “copious amounts of alcohol” despite being “visibly intoxicated” after a day of partying.
Komoroski’s former employer, the Taco Boy, and her unnamed boss are also named for “inviting, encouraging, pressuring, and ultimately coercing (Komoroski) to drink alcohol beyond the point of visible intoxication” despite her history of substance abuse.
With Post wires