US groom runs over & kills best man after alcohol-fuelled argument on wedding night, gets 30 years' jail

A man in the U.S. state of Michigan has been sentenced to at least 30 years in prison after he fatally ran over one of his groomsmen, who was also his best friend, on the same day as his wedding.

According to USA Today, 24-year-old James Shirah was sentenced on May 11 over the death of 29-year-old Terry Lewis Taylor Jr.

Taylor had reportedly attended Shirah’s wedding as a groomsman earlier that day.

Shirah's bride, Savanah Collier, pleaded guilty to the charge of being an accessory after the fact to a felony.

Argument allegedly broke out after wedding

According to the Flint Police Department, the incident took place at about 8pm on Aug. 30, 2024, in a residential area on the north side of Flint.

Police said Shirah was driving an SUV when he intentionally struck Taylor.

Officers responding to reports of a pedestrian-injury crash found Taylor with severe injuries at the scene. He was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Investigators later determined that Taylor had attended Shirah’s wedding earlier that day as a groomsman, before an argument broke out after the ceremony, eventually leading to the fatal incident.

Prosecutors added that Shirah had been drinking before getting into an argument with Taylor.

They also claimed Shirah left the scene before later returning and hitting Taylor with the SUV.

Groom sentenced to up to 45 years in prison

According to court records cited by USA Today, Shirah pleaded no contest in April 2026 to second-degree murder, driving without a licence causing death, and failing to stop at the scene of a fatal crash.

On May 11, he was sentenced to between 30 and 45 years in prison.

According to Click On Detroit, the earliest Shirah could become eligible for parole is 2054.

During sentencing, Shirah reportedly expressed remorse over Taylor’s death and insisted he had not intended to kill him, describing Taylor as both his best friend and “like a brother.”

However, Judge Khary Hanible reportedly told Shirah that while he did not see him as inherently criminal, his actions had nonetheless made him responsible for another person’s death.

Bride also pleaded guilty

According to USA Today, Shirah’s bride, identified as 23-year-old Savanah Collier, was also arrested after the incident on suspicion of being an accessory after the fact to a felony.

Court records show she later pleaded guilty to the charge in April 2026.

Her sentencing is scheduled for May 26.

Taylor’s obituary described him as a loving father and friend who enjoyed fishing, riding bikes and spending time outdoors.

He reportedly left behind several children and a fiancée.