Michigan groom accused of running over groomsman, killing him, bride arrested, too
In Michigan, a groom and bride have been arrested after police say the groom intentionally hit his groomsman and killed him with an SUV after his wedding.
Flint police officers were first called to reported a pedestrian-injury crash at about 8 p.m. on Aug. 30, according to a Facebook post from the department.
When police arrived, they found 29-year-old Terry Lewis Taylor Jr. with severe injuries and he was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
An investigation into the incident by the Flint Police Department revealed that earlier that day, Taylor had gone to a wedding as a groomsman. After the wedding, he had an argument with someone that then led to him being intentionally hit with an SUV.
Police said the groom, 22-year-old James Shirah, was driving the SUV that hit his groomsman, and prosecutors charged Shirah with second-degree murder.
Shirah’s bride, 21-year-old Savahna Collier, was also arrested on suspicion of being an accessory after the fact to a felony, and her bond was set for $4,000.
A loving father
Taylor's obituary remembered him as a loving father and friend.
"He loved fishing since birth, riding bikes and four-wheelers,” the obituary reads. “Terry enjoyed immensely his music, his children, his family and friends, his dog Kodiak and eating some good food. It was always important to him to have clean teeth and some cologne on.”
Taylor also left behind his own bride-to-be, three kids and another child who was on the way. A GoFundMe which was started by his bride-to-be remembered him fondly as well.
"We (myself and his family) are trying to give him the burial that he wanted and deserves. He was an amazing person so many people love him. This was completely unexpected and a lot of lives are affected by this loss," the fundraiser said.
Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.