YOUR wedding day is meant to be the happiest day of your life, with couples looking forward to the rest of their lives together.
After tragically losing his wife on their big day, one groom is now in a bitter legal battle over her estate.
As they walked left their dream venue, Aric Hutchinson, 36, and his wife Samantha, 34, had been basking in a post wedding glow.
Hours earlier, the couple had tied the knot and had were surrounded by their loved ones as they celebrated the milestone moment at Folly Beach.
Tragedy would strike the newlyweds though, as they later were hit by an alleged drunk driver, Jamie Komoroski.
Reportedly, the woman had been doing 65mph in a 25mph zone when her vehicle rear-ended the couple’s golf car.
Samantha died at the scene, with Aric also being critically injured and he underwent treatment in hospital for multiple broken bones.
As he recovered, he later told ABC News: “I’m still trying to wrap, my head around it – going from an all-time high to an all time low.”
Though he can’t remember the crash, he tearfully told press: “I do remember her [Sam] saying, she wanted the night to never end.”
In the weeks and months that have passed since the April 28 tragedy though, there has been increasing tension between the widower and his wife’s family.
After the Samantha’s sudden death, Aric assumed control of her estate – much to the alarm of his mother-in-law, Lisa Miller.
The grieving mum has since filed a lawsuit to have him removed as the representative for the estate, citing an alleged ‘conflict of interest’ and issues of ‘potential fraud’.
Lisa later told the Post and Courier: “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.
“I never wanted to challenge the validity of the marriage. I never wanted to dishonour Sam. But I feel like Aric is dishonouring my daughter in going against her wishes.”
As the bitter legal battle drags on, Lisa also alleged that Aric’s legal team prevented her from getting her share of the inheritance.
However, Aric’s lawyers have hitting back at his mother-in-law’s claims.
Aric’s attorney, Patrick Woooten, later told the outlet: “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. One would hope that Ms. Miller would have too much respect for her own daughter to do that.”
He added: “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.”
Despite their heartbreak though, the legal case continues.
