A devastating high-speed crash in San Francisco has left a young woman grieving the loss of her boyfriend and her dog, as she recovers from serious injuries in the hospital.

Credit: KTVU

The tragedy unfolded on Sunday evening (January 19) when Linh Luu and her boyfriend, 27-year-old Mikhael ‘Misha’ Romanenko, were on their way to pick up her grandmother and aunt for a trip to the airport.

Also in the car was the couple’s miniature Golden Doodle, Keeper.

“I don’t understand why it happened the way it did, and I don’t know how I’m alive,” Luu told ABC 7 in a video interview from her hospital bed. “Honestly, I want to trade places with him.

“He had such a purpose in this world.”

The devastating scene. Credit: ABC7/YouTube

A Night of Tragedy

The crash happened just after 6:00PM at the intersection of 6th and Harrison streets.

According to police, a black Tesla barreled into seven vehicles, including a Waymo autonomous car, traveling at a reported speed of 98 miles per hour. Luu’s memories of the crash are fragmented, but one moment remains heartbreakingly clear.

“I remember looking over to him and saying, ‘I love you,’ and him saying, ‘I love you too,’ back to me,” Luu shared. “It was just one moment… after that, I was being wheeled into different rooms.”

Romanenko and Keeper did not survive the crash.

Seven other individuals were also left injured as a result of the devastating wreckage.

Luu, who suffered multiple broken bones, is now left grappling with the aftermath and replaying the moments she can remember.

Mikhael ‘Misha’ Romanenko. Credit: Family Handout.

“I do have a flashback of when I was back in the car and he was motionless,” Luu said tearfully. “It was like, ‘Oh my God, Misha,’ and he wasn’t responding. That’s all I remember.”

Driver Facing Charges

San Francisco police have arrested 66-year-old Jia Lin Zheng in connection with the crash. Zheng has been charged with vehicular manslaughter.

A police report obtained by ABC7 News anchor Dion Lim noted that Zheng did not appear to be under the influence of alcohol.

Luu opened up about their final moments together from her hospital bed. Credit: ABC7/YouTube

Hours after his arrest, a blood alcohol screening confirmed no presence of alcohol in his system. Zheng reportedly told investigators that he had been pressing the brakes, but the Tesla failed to slow down.

District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has since emphasized the importance of a thorough investigation, per the Daily Mail.

‘It is critical that we take the time to diligently comb through all of the evidence and gather as much information as possible so that we’re able to make the correct charging decision,’ she said in a statement.

A Call for Change

From her hospital bed, Luu is reflecting on the safety of the intersection where the crash happened.

“I really want to know exactly what happened,” she said. “The way Sixth Street exists, you can go as fast as you want until you hit that stoplight, right?”

While struggling to process the loss, Luu is determined to keep Romanenko’s memory alive.

“He was just so much joy being around him,” she said. “Anyone who crossed paths with him in his life would definitely have a story or two about how he made them laugh, how he put a smile on their face.”

A Message to Others

As the investigation into the crash continues, Luu is urging others to cherish their loved ones and take nothing for granted.

“After losing everything and everyone, the love of my life,” Luu said, “Just please, hug your loved ones. Tell them you love them.”

Romanenko’s heartbreaking death marks the city’s second traffic fatality this year, while 2024 saw 41 lives lost to vehicular crashes. The intersection has also been described as a “hotspot” for accidents.

Speaking to San Francisco Chronicle, Luu said: “Something needs to be done.

“Just knowing how many car accidents and hit-and-runs there are, it is very hard to accept that it continues, leaving so many people in pain.”

The investigation is currently ongoing.

Our thoughts go out to Luu, the Romanenko family, and every person impacted by this tragedy.

A photo shared by Vice President Kamala Harris from the late President Jimmy Carter’s funeral has sparked online conversation — mainly for who it left out.

A State Funeral was held for President Jimmy Carter on Thursday. Credit: Pool / Getty

The funeral for the 39th president of the United States was held at the Washington National Cathedral on Thursday (January 9), where all five living presidents and several prominent political figures gathered to pay their respects.

President Joe Biden had declared January 9 a national day of mourning for Carter, who passed away on December 29 at the age of 100 in his hometown of Plains, Georgia.

Carter became the oldest president in US history and the very first to reach the age of 100.

Paying her respects on Instagram, outgoing Vice President Harris shared a photo from the day, showing her surrounded by a number of US political figures.

“President Jimmy Carter loved our country. He lived his faith, served the people, and left the world better than he found it,” Harris wrote in the caption accompanying the post. “President Carter’s many contributions will echo for generations to come.”

However, while President-elect Donald Trump attended the Washington, D.C., funeral – alongside the other four living presidents – he was noticeably absent from the photo posted by Harris.

The image shared on her official social media accounts depicts Harris, President Joe Biden, and former presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama, all standing with their hands over their hearts during the ceremony.

But Trump and incoming First Lady Melania Trump – who were seated next to Obama during the event – were not included in the picture.

Although it remains unclear whether Trump’s exclusion was deliberate or if the photo was specifically cropped, social media users were quick to call attention to Trump’s absence, with some finding humor in the situation.

“Best photo crop of the decade,” one Instagram commenter wrote, with another adding: “My president with the crop.”

Another user chimed in, “I immediately laughed when I saw this image. I love a good cropped photo.”

Donald Trump attended the funeral on Thursday. Credit: The Washington Post / Getty

However, Trump certainly had his supporters in the comments section, with one person commenting: “Going to be hard to crop him out next time when he’s front and center and [you’re] a few rows back.”

Another added: “Well you won’t be able to crop out the next 4 years.”

“She got a Trump-free photo and we got a Kamala-free White House. Sounds like a win-win,” added another, with one Instagram user commenting: “And you were cropped out of the election.”

As previously mentioned, it is still unclear if Harris’ photo was edited in any way (as it does appear a pillar on the right-hand side would have blocked Trump’s presence anyway), but the choice of photo certainly got people talking.

Interestingly, The Carter Center, founded in 1982 by the late president and his wife Rosalynn Carter, also left the Trumps out of a series of funeral photos shared on their X (formerly Twitter) account.

Who Attended Jimmy Carter’s Funeral?

The following notable figures were among those present at the service:

• President Joe Biden
• President-elect Donald Trump
• Former President Barack Obama
• Former President George W. Bush
• Former President Bill Clinton
• Vice President Kamala Harris
• Vice President-elect JD Vance
• Former Vice President Mike Pence
• Former Vice President Dan Quayle
• Former Vice President Al Gore
• Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
• First Lady Jill Biden
• Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff
• Incoming First Lady Melania Trump
• Former First Lady Laura Bush

Notably absent was former First Lady Michelle Obama, whose office did not provide details regarding her nonattendance.

Elsewhere during the day, former running mates Mike Pence and Donald Trump reunited for what is believed to have been their first meeting since Trump left office in 2021. Pence has since opened up about their conversation.

As President Joe Biden warns the nation that the death toll from the ensuring Los Angeles fires is expected to rise, more information is being reported about the current victims who have lost their lives in the blazes.

As of this writing, at least 11 people have been confirmed dead as a result of the fires.

Wildfires are currently raging across California Credit: Apu Gomes / Getty

One of those victims has been named as 66-year-old Victor Shaw.

It has now been reported that Shaw tragically lost his life while trying to protect his home from the raging Eaton Fire.

KTLA reports that Shaw was found clutching a garden hose, in what loved ones believe to be his final attempt to save his property – that had been in his family for 55 years – as the wildfire swept through his neighborhood.

Victor Shaw’s loved ones have spoken out. Credit: X

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner confirmed that Shaw died of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries. His decision to stay behind, despite the approaching flames, ultimately cost him his life.

Shaw’s sister, Shari Shaw, shared the devastating details with KTLA, recalling her efforts to persuade her brother to evacuate on Tuesday night as the fire closed in on their shared home.

The wildfires have wreaked havoc across Los Angeles, destroying over 10,000 structures and displacing thousands of residents. Credit: VCG / Getty

Victor had told his sister that he wanted to stay behind and try to fight the fire, she said. As the situation worsened, Shari described being forced to abandon her brother when the encroaching firestorm made it too dangerous to stay.

“When I went back in and yelled out his name, he didn’t reply back, and I had to get out because the embers were so big and flying like a firestorm — I had to save myself,” she said. “And I looked behind me, and the house was starting to go up in flames, and I had to leave.”

Al Tanner – a friend of the family – told KTLA that the next morning, Victor’s body was discovered on the side of the road, with the hose still in his hand. “It looks like he was trying to save the home that his parents had for almost 55 years,” Tanner said.

READ MORE: Family members of a father and son killed in the fires have also paid tribute.

The Fires Rage On

The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles have already claimed at least 11 lives, with estimates suggesting that more than 10,000 homes and structures have been reduced to ashes, with entire neighborhoods left in ruins, per BBC News.

The evacuation order has been expanded as officials intensify efforts to contain the relentless Palisades Fire, which has been burning since Tuesday. Thousands of residents have fled their homes as firefighters continue to battle the blaze under challenging conditions.

Wildfires are currently raging across California. Credit: Apu Gomes / Getty

President Joe Biden has described the unfolding disaster in Los Angeles as a “war scene,” cautioning that the death toll is “likely” to rise as authorities assess the full extent of the damage.

Adding to the tragic outlook, forecasts of strong winds threaten to fan the flames further, prompting fears of even more widespread devastation. A red flag warning, signaling critical fire conditions, remains in effect across the region over the weekend.

Currently, at least six fires are raging across the area. The most recent, dubbed the Archer Fire, erupted on Friday and remains uncontrolled, further straining already stretched firefighting resources.