FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCBD) — A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit filed after a crash earlier this year that killed a new bride in Folly Beach.
Three businesses named in a wrongful death lawsuit connected to Samantha Miller (Hutchinson) have agreed to settle with her estate in exchange for the release of liability or any claims of wrongful death or personal injury in the April 28 incident.
According to a petition for approval filed on Sept. 29, Aric Hutchinson, who serves as personal representative of the estate of Samantha Miller, received an offer for settlement by several establishments including The Crab Shack, The Folly Deli, and Progressive Northern Insurance Company to pay a monetary amount to her beneficiary under the Wrongful Death Act and the Survival Act.
The entities will also pay attorney fees in the amount of 33 and 1/3% of the total settlement and any other further relief the court may decide upon.
Hutchinson and Miller were married during a ceremony held on Folly Beach last April. Soon after leaving the wedding party, and while traveling on a golf cart, the newlyweds and two other family members were struck by a vehicle driven by Jamie Lee Komoroski.
Samantha Miller was thrown from the golf cart and killed. Her new husband and other family members on the golf cart suffered serious injuries.
An investigation revealed that Komoroski was highly intoxicated at the time of the crash and that she became intoxicated while allegedly drinking at several bars — including those listed in the wrongful death case — in the hours leading up to the crash.
Komoroski has been housed at the Charleston County Detention Center since the deadly crash. A Charleston County grand jury returned a four-court indictment against Komoroski last month.
Hutchinson and Miller’s estate is represented by Daniel Dalton and Brian Mickelsen of Mickelson Dalton, LLC. Dalton gave his approval of the settlement terms. A judge will now review the settlement.
