Alleged drunk driver involved in crash that killed bride ‘said she did nothing wrong’
A suspected drunk driver involved in a crash that killed a bride on her wedding day said she “did nothing wrong” following the incident, according to a witness.
Jamie Lee Komoroski, 25, was arrested after allegedly hitting a golf cart containing a newly-married couple at more than twice the speed limit in South Carolina.
She has been charged with one count of reckless homicide and three counts of drink-driving causing great bodily harm
Jamie Lee Komoroski. Pic: Charleston County Sheriff’s Office via AP
Bride Samantha Miller, 34, died of blunt force injuries just hours after exchanging vows with her husband Aric Hutchinson, authorities said.
A witness reported that Komoroski repeatedly said “I did nothing wrong” and that she wanted to go home, an incident report states, according to NBC.
An officer reported that he smelt “an odour of alcohol coming” from Komoroski, who said she was driving towards her home when “all of a sudden something hit me”, the report said.
Police noted the suspect was driving in the opposite direction to her home.
Samantha Miller and Aric Hutchinson on their wedding day. Pic: Go Fund Me
Despite telling officers that she only had two alcoholic drinks that night, her blood alcohol content was more than three times the legal limit in South Carolina, which is 0.08%, according to a toxicology report.
She refused to perform a sobriety test at the scene and was swaying when asked to stand up, the incident report said.
The golf cart, which was decorated with a “just married” sign, was found “on its side mangled with a Toyota sedan [saloon]” according to police.
Andrew Gilreath, public safety director for the Folly Beach area where the crash took place, said data retrieved from the rented Toyota indicated Komoroski was driving at 65mph in a 25mph zone and only briefly hit the brakes before she hit the golf cart.
Aric Hutchinson (R) pictured recovering in hospital. Pic: Go Fund Me
Three other people were taken to hospital, including Mr Hutchinson. He broke both legs, his back and also suffered a brain injury.
Komoroski remains in custody and will appear in court on 16 June, according to online records.
A former top college football player has died along with members of her family in a private plane crash in New York state.
The twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B went down shortly after noon on Saturday in a muddy field in Copake, near the Massachusetts border, killing all six people on board.
Among the victims were Karenna Groff, a former MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) football player, who was named the 2022 NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) woman of the year.
Her neuroscientist father, Dr Michael Groff, her mother, Dr Joy Saini, a urogynecologist, and her brother, Jared Groff, who worked as a paralegal, were also killed.
Former college football player Karenna Groff. File pic: AP
Karenna Groff’s boyfriend, James Santoro, and Jared Groff’s partner, Alexia Couyutas Duarte, also died.
Mr Santoro’s father, John Santoro, said: “The 25 years we had with James were the best years of our lives… and the joy and love he brought us will be enough to last a lifetime.”
He described Karenna Groff and her relatives as “a wonderful family”.
“The world lost a lot of very good people who were going to do a lot of good for the world if they had the opportunity. We’re all personally devastated,” he added.
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They boarded Michael Groff’s private plane at Westchester County Airport in White Plains, a suburb of New York City, on Saturday morning to fly to Columbia County Airport.
But the aircraft crashed around 10 miles to the south and was left “compressed, buckled and embedded in the terrain”, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) official Todd Inman said.
Shortly before the plane came down, the pilot had radioed air traffic control at Columbia County Airport to say he had missed the initial approach and requested a new approach plan, he said.
Investigators obtained video of the final seconds of the flight, which “appears to show that the aircraft was intact and crashed at a high rate of descent into the ground,” he added.
A full accident report could take between 12 and 24 months to complete.
It comes days after a family of five Spanish tourists, including three children, were killed in a helicopter crash in the Hudson River on Thursday.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were forced to flee in the middle of the night during Passover after an alleged arsonist set fire to their residence, authorities said.Â
Mr Shapiro, a Democrat seen as a potential candidate for his party’s presidential nomination in 2028, said he and his family woke up at about 2am on Sunday to “bangs on the door” by police after a fire was allegedly set at the governor’s residence in Harrisburg.
Mr Shapiro said he, his wife, their four children, two dogs and another family were evacuated as the fire service tackled the flames.
Pic: Commonwealth Media Services
Pic: Commonwealth Media Services
“Thank God no one was injured,” he said in a post on X.
A 38-year-old man identified as Cody Balmer, from Harrisburg, was arrested later in the day.
Pic: Commonwealth Media Services
Pic: Commonwealth Media Services
He will face charges of attempted murder, terrorism, aggravated arson and aggravated assault, authorities said.
“Every day, we stand with the law enforcement and first responders who run towards danger to protect our communities,” Mr Shapiro said on X.
“Last night, they did so for our family – and Lori and I are eternally grateful to them for keeping us safe.”
Pic: Commonwealth Media Services
Charred wood and brick are visible at the Pennsylvania governor’s official residence. Pic: AP
Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro. Pic: Reuters
The suspect’s motive is still unknown.
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According to Pennsylvania police officials, he slipped over a fence around the property carrying homemade incendiary devices and evaded state troopers long enough to enter the residence, set it on fire and leave.
On Saturday, Mr Shapiro posted a picture of his family’s “seder” table as they celebrated the first night of the Jewish holiday of Passover.
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