Most people dream of their wedding day as a perfect moment filled with love, laughter, and celebration. But for one Michigan couple, their wedding night turned into a nightmare. A bride and groom have been sentenced after a tragic incident in 2024, where the groom fatally hit his best man with an SUV, and the bride helped cover it up.
Wedding Night Turns Deadly
On August 30, 2024, the Flint Police Department in Michigan responded to a call about a pedestrian injury crash on East Hamilton Avenue. Authorities found 29-year-old Terry Lewis Taylor Jr. with severe injuries after being struck by an SUV. Tragically, Taylor later died at the hospital.
Investigators learned that Taylor had been attending the wedding of 22-year-old James Shirah and 21-year-old Savanah Collier as a groomsman. According to police and news reports, an argument after the wedding escalated, and Shirah allegedly intentionally hit Taylor at high speed with his SUV.
The Groom’s Sentence
James Shirah faced serious consequences for his actions. On May 11, 2026, he was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading no contest to second-degree murder. NBC News reported that an alcohol-fueled argument triggered the tragic event. During his sentencing, Shirah expressed remorse, saying, “The only thing I can do for the rest of my life is express my apology and remorse. I will forever be sorry.”
Genesee County prosecutor David Leyton called the incident a “tragedy,” noting the shocking turn of events on what should have been one of the most joyous days of their lives.
The Bride’s Role and Sentence
While Collier was not charged with murder, prosecutors said she helped cover up her husband’s actions. After the incident, she reportedly went back to drop off her car and later reunited with her husband at a hotel instead of calling 911 or helping Taylor. Prosecutor Mark Ross said, “She saw her husband run him over at a high rate of speed, he died on the street, and she did nothing to help.”
Collier pleaded guilty to accessory after the fact and was sentenced under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act, which allows her charges to be dismissed if she successfully completes two years of probation.
During her sentencing, she tearfully told the court, “Never in a million years would I have expected what happened. I didn’t just lose [the victim] that day. I lost everything that night. I lost my home, my house got broken into, they stole my car. I lost my husband, I lost my family.”
