James Shirah was sentenced Monday to at least 30 years in prison for the crash that killed Terry Taylor Jr. after a wedding celebration in Flint on Aug. 30, 2024. He will be eligible for parole after 30 years.
Shirah, 24, was driving when his vehicle struck Taylor in a case that began on a day that had already included a wedding. Shirah and Savanah Collier had been married earlier that day, and the celebration later moved to a house before the crash.
Before Genesee County Judge Khary Hanible imposed the sentence, Shirah told the court, “The only thing I can do for the rest of my life is express my apology and remorse.... I will forever be sorry.” His attorney argued the crash was not intentional. Prosecutors said Shirah left the scene, had time to reflect and then returned before striking Taylor.
In April, Shirah pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and other offenses. On Monday, Taylor’s family heard the sentence they had sought, and Eren Taylor told Shirah, “I hope that they throw the book at you,” before the judge spoke. Hanible said, “Mr. Shirah, I believe that you are not a criminal. You are, however, a killer,” drawing a line between the defense’s argument and the court’s view of what happened in Flint, an hour’s drive northwest of Detroit.
The sentence closes one chapter in a case that turned a wedding day into a homicide prosecution. What remains is the punishment itself: Shirah is going to prison for decades, and the earliest he can seek release is after 30 years.
