FLINT, Mich. (AP) — A man in Michigan who got married and then ran over his best friend that same day, killing him, after an alcohol-fueled argument was sentenced Monday to at least 30 years in prison.
“The only thing I can do for the rest of my life is express my apology and remorse. ... I will forever be sorry,” James Shirah said in Genesee County court.
Shirah, 24, was driving when his vehicle struck Terry Taylor Jr. in Flint, about an hour's drive northwest of Detroit, on Aug. 30, 2024. He and Savanah Collier were married earlier that day and the celebration had moved to a house.
Shirah's attorney had argued that the crash was not intentional. Prosecutors, however, said Shirah had left the scene and had time to reflect before returning and striking Taylor, MLive.com reported.
“Mr. Shirah, I believe that you are not a criminal. You are, however, a killer,” Judge Khary Hanible said.
In April, Shirah pleaded no contest to second-degree murder and other offenses. He will be eligible for parole after 30 years.
“I hope that they throw the book at you,” Taylor's cousin, Eren Taylor, said before Shirah received his sentence.
Shirah's wife will be sentenced later in May for being an accessory.
Family members react as James Shirah is sentenced to at least 30 years in prison on Monday, May 11, 2026 in Flint. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP)
James Shirah is sentenced to at least 30 years in prison during a hearing, Monday, May 11, 2026 in Flint, Mich. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP)
James Shirah is sentenced to at least 30 years in prison during a hearing, Monday, May 11, 2026 in Flint, Mich. (Jake May/The Flint Journal via AP)
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Texas Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from his scheduled start Monday night because of left side tightness.
About three hours before the scheduled first pitch of their series opener at home against Arizona, the Rangers said right-handed reliever Jakob Junis would start in Eovaldi's place for what would be a bullpen game.
Rangers manager Skip Schumaker said Eovaldi felt the tightness earlier Monday and then had medical imaging. The team was awaiting the results to find out the severity of the issue and determine the next steps for the 36-year-old pitcher.
Eovaldi (4-4, 4.15 ERA) is coming off consecutive wins against the Yankees in his last two starts, limiting the Yankees to one run and striking out 15 over 15 innings in those games. He allowed one run over eight innings at Yankee Stadium last Wednesday and threw seven scoreless innings against them in his last home start on April 29.
The two-time All-Star went 11-3 with a career-best 1.73 ERA last season when he was limited to 22 starts. He missed most of June with elbow inflammation and didn't pitch after Aug. 22 because of a rotator cuff strain.
Second baseman Josh Smith is now dealing with a wrist inflammation while working to come back from a strained right glute, according to Schumaker.
The wrist soreness likely will push back Smith's return from the 10-day injured list. He was placed on the IL last week, retroactive to May 4, and would be eligible to be activated Friday night before the opener of a series in Houston.
Smith, who took over as the primary second baseman after Marcus Semien was traded during the offseason, hit .217 with no homers and six RBIs in 31 games before getting hurt. He had a .977 fielding percentage, with two errors in 88 total chances.
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Texas Rangers second baseman Josh Smith (8) catches a Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling fly ball during the fifth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 1, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Texas Rangers pitcher Jakob Junis throws against the Detroit Tigers during the eighth inning of a baseball game Friday, May 1, 2026, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
Texas Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
