Local police in southeastern Michigan said Wednesday they have charged a newlywed couple after the groom allegedly hit and killed a groomsman with his car late Friday night.
Flint Police Department (FPD) officers found 29-year-old Terry Lewis Taylor Jr. suffering from serious injuries around 8 p.m. after responding to a report of a vehicle hitting Taylor. According to In a statement.
FPD later learned that Taylor had been a groomsman earlier that day. FPD alleges that Taylor and the groomsman had been involved in an altercation and that the groomsman intentionally ran over Taylor at a high rate of speed with a large SUV.
FPD identified the groom as James Siller, 22, and the bride as Savannah Collier, 21.
The wedding took place at a pizza restaurant, Genesee County Prosecutor David Layton said. said The celebration then moved to a home, where an argument reportedly began, after which Schiller punched Taylor in the street outside the house, Leighton alleges.
According to the Associated Press, Layton also claimed the case was difficult to solve at the time because the couple left the scene and didn't turn themselves in to police until the following day. (Related article: Drunk driver allegedly kills newlywed bride as she leaves wedding reception in golf cart)
FPD charged Schiller with second-degree murder, but Schiller was held without bail. Collier was charged with being an accessory after the fact to a felony, and bail was set at $4,000, according to the statement.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the victim's family and friends. No argument is worth a human life. [sic] In response to the statement, one person commented online: “Raise these two right.”
Facebook user Cristal Guimarães claimed in another comment, Another Post The couple had recklessly damaged their brother-in-law's car during a bachelor party on Aug. 17, and Schiller had promised to cover the repair costs.
“It's incredible, he took a life. My condolences to the family who lost their son,” Guimaraes said.
Another person, Shawn M. Maurer, who claimed to know the couple, claimed the couple had been threatened with a gun.
“I've never seen anything like this,” Layton, who is in his 20th year as county attorney, told The Associated Press. “I've seen people hit people, but I've never seen anything like this right after a wedding.”
