Charges have been filed against Jia Lin Zheng, a 67-year-old Honolulu resident, in connection with a vehicle collision in San Francisco's South of Market (SOMA) district that resulted in one fatality and several injuries. According to a press release from the San Francisco District Attorney's Office, Zheng was arraigned yesterday, where he pleaded not guilty to charges including felony vehicular manslaughter, reckless driving, and hit and run driving.
The incident occurred on January 19, around 6:08 PM, when a black Tesla, allegedly operated by Zheng, collided with several vehicles at the intersection of Sixth and Harrison Streets. This included an unoccupied Waymo robotaxi, as reported by Hoodline. Following the incident, police discovered at least six affected vehicles and multiple victims who required hospitalization, unfortunately, 27-year-old Mikhael Romanenko was declared deceased at the scene, as well as, a dog.
Following the arraignment, Zheng has been released on his own recognizance with the stipulation that he does not drive and must surrender his driver's license. His next court appearance is scheduled for November 7. While legal proceedings are underway, the the San Francisco Police Department's investigation continues. They are also looking into whether the Tesla was involved in a separate hit-and-run accident on the northbound Interstate 280 moments before the fatal collision, as per reports by Hoodline.
In the hectic aftermath of the crash, emergency responders were called to the scene to aid trapped victims, many of whom later required medical attention at local hospitals. The police are asking for community assistance to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the catastrophe, and they are currently investigating whether impairment from drugs or alcohol played a role in the incident, as noted by Hoodline.
