Haleigh, who goes by @haleighsmithh on TikTok, tragically lost her sister, Savana, after she was killed earlier in the year, and she’s hoping that sharing this story will finally bring the man who caused Savana’s death to justice, because he’s still out there.
“My sister didn’t die instantly from a car crash; she burned to death alive while the driver ran away,” Haleigh explained in her video.
“…My sister’s name was Savana Corrine Pendarvis, and she was only 27-years-old on January 2nd, 206, when Alexander Rivera-Russo was going over 100 miles per hour on University Boulevard in Jacksonville, Florida, when he crashed into Savana’s vehicle.”
“Savana spun around and hit a telephone pole and burst into flames. While she was locked in that car, Alexander ran and disappeared.”
“Savana did not die on impact from the car crash; her cause of death was smoke inhalation. Which means Savana did survive the car accident, and she was alive while the car was filling with smoke and burning.”
Haleigh says that Savana absolutely could have been helped out of her car, but instead of doing the right thing and calling for assistance or turning himself in after the accident, Alexander ran off.
Haleigh is convinced that Alexander had a family member come get him, and then he went into hiding, though she has a theory that he has been spotted in the Gainesville area.
Haleigh is trying to track down Alexander because he’s still on the run months later and has not been caught, and she wants her sister to receive the justice she deserves.
According to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, at 3:15 in the afternoon on January 2nd, 2026, Savana was traveling northbound on University Blvd S. when 23-year-old Alexander Rivera-Russo was driving a Dodge Challenger and hit her car.
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Witnesses said that Alexander was going more than 100 miles per hour, just like Haleigh said. Alexander then fled the scene on foot, without stopping to call for help, and he hit another car after hitting Savana’s. The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office is still looking for him.
“[She] had a radiant smile that outshone her golden ringlets. She was full of life—a recent college graduate, dreaming of a career in Human Resources, fresh from her first trip to Europe, and excited for her cousin’s wedding and more adventures,” a GoFundMe for Savana reads.
“Savana lost her mother at age 5 and was raised by her grandmother, Martha Zaner (74). In recent years, Savana became Martha’s devoted caretaker, especially now as Martha prepares for breast cancer surgery next week.”
“Just days earlier, I celebrated New Year’s Eve with the family, and the evening was filled with laughter, a seafood boil, and board games. No one imagined this would be their last time with Savana.”
By Bre Avery Zacharski
Hi, I'm Bre, Chip Chick's CEO! I have a degree in Textile/Surface Design from The Fashion Institute of Technology, and... More about Bre Avery Zacharski
