Grieving groom whose bride was killed by 'drunk driver' on their wedding night is in bitter fight with his mother-in-law over her estate - as she challenges validity of their marriage

The mother of a bride killed by a drunk driver on her wedding day is taking legal action against her son-in-law, accusing him of fraud and 'dishonoring my daughter' amid a row about insurance claims and settlement cash.

Samantha Miller, 34, was killed on April 28 while she was celebrating her wedding at Folly Beach in South Carolina.

Jamie Lee Komoroski, 26, was three times over the legal driving limit when she smashed her car into Miller's golf cart, which was carrying the bride and her new husband, Aric Hutchinson, 36. He was left severely injured.

Miller's mother Lisa was initially effusive in her praise of Hutchinson, saying he was like a son to her.

But she has now petitioned the court to remove him as executor of his late wife's estate - even claiming that their marriage was not legitimate.

At stake is a potentially large legal settlement.

In October, two South Carolina beach bars settled a wrongful-death lawsuit for allowing Komoroski to get 'visibly intoxicated' before she crashed. The Crab Shack and The Drop In Bar & Deli were among several companies which agreed to settle with Miller's estate, as did Progressive Northern Insurance Co.

The amounts of the settlements have not been made public and a judge still has to approve the petition of approval of the death settlement.

Lisa Miller has challenged the settlements in court - filing, then withdrawing, then refiling a motion to intervene in the case.

She told The Post and Courier that she felt Hutchinson was sidelining her from the payout, which is not what her daughter would have wanted.

'Aric and I agreed several times that Sam would want us to do everything together given we're the two most important people in her life,' she said.

'I never wanted to challenge the validity of the marriage. I never wanted to dishonor Sam.

'But I feel like Aric is dishonoring my daughter in going against her wishes.'

Miller's attorney, Jerry Meehan, accused Hutchinson of attempting to orchestrate a 'money grab', carried out in secret.

He said Lisa Miller's 'main reason to intervene is to protect the Estate of Samantha Miller and all of its rightful heirs.

He added: 'There is no reason to rush the process and cloak in secrecy. This was a money grab from minute one.'

Meehan has seized on the fact that the marriage was not registered until May 1, and the license signed by Hutchinson's aunt and uncle, as he remained in the hospital.

His aunt said she had known husband and wife for 36 years: Hutchinson was 36, but Miller was only 34 when she died.

The aunt and uncle also mistakenly said the couple had lived together after their wedding.

Hutchinson said that he was saddened by the turn of events, and he had offered his mother-in-law half of the cash.

His lawyers said the questions about the marriage certificate were 'a distraction', and called Lisa Miller's motion to intervene 'morally questionable' and 'legally baseless'.

He insisted she was not being cut out.

'Aric has been more than generous with Lisa Miller — offering her half of the money — and she has repaid him by threatening to bring a frivolous challenge to the validity of his marriage to Sam,' said Hutchinson's attorney, Patrick Wooten.

'One would hope that Ms. Miller would have too much respect for her own daughter to do that.'

He has offered his mother-in-law half of any recovery in the wrongful death suit on the condition that she stop pursuing legal challenges to their marriage.

'Aric has made this settlement offer not because Lisa Miller had a valid legal claim — she does not — but rather because he is a generous person and, of course, would prefer to avoid painful, public litigation over the validity of his marriage to Sam.'