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Newlyweds Face Charges After Groom Allegedly Runs Over Groomsman, Killing Him

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John Oyewale Contributor
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Local police in southeastern Michigan revealed Wednesday that they charged a newly married couple after the groom allegedly killed a groomsman by striking him with a vehicle late Friday.

Flint Police Department (FPD) officers found Terry Lewis Taylor Jr., 29, severely injured at about 8:00 p.m. after they received a report that a vehicle had knocked Taylor down, according to the statement.

The FPD later learned that Taylor had been a groomsman earlier in the day. He was involved in an argument, which then devolved into the groom intentionally striking Taylor with a large SUV at a high speed, the FPD alleged.

The FPD identified the groom as James Shirah, 22, and his bride as Savahna Collier, 21.

The wedding was at a pizzeria, Genesee County prosecutor David Leyton told The Associated Press (AP). The celebration moved to a house, where the argument reportedly broke out. Shirah then struck Taylor in the street in front of the house, Leyton alleged.

The couple left the scene and did not report to the police until the next day, making it difficult to solve the case at the time, Leyton further alleged, according to the AP. (RELATED: Drunk Driver Allegedly Kills Newlywed Bride Leaving Reception In Golf Cart)

The FPD charged Shirah with second-degree murder, with Shirah being held with no bond. Collier was charged with being an accessory after the fact to a felony and her bond was set at $4,000, according to the statement.

“My heart goes out to the victim’s family and friends. No argument is worth someone’s life. Someone didnt [sic] raise those two right,” one person said online in response to the statement.

A Facebook user named Crystal Guimaraes alleged in another comment and a separate post that the couple had recklessly damaged her brother-in-law’s car at a bachelor party Aug. 17 and that Shirah had promised to defray the cost of repairs.

“Wow crazy he took someone’s life. My condolences to the family who lost their son,” Guimaraes also remarked.

Another person named Shawn M. Maurer, who claimed to be familiar with the couple, alleged that the couple had been threatened with a gun.

“I’ve never seen anything quite like this,” Leyton, who is in his 20th year as county prosecutor, told the AP. “I’ve seen people running over other people but not so soon after a wedding.”