A first date between a California car collector and a Hooters calendar girl ended tragically when they died in a fiery crash in a McLaren supercar early Sunday morning.
James Wehr, 27, and Alexis “Lexi” Kramer, 22, were killed around 12:20 a.m. when Wehr’s 2019 McLaren collided with a tree in Irvine, California. The impact was so severe that it split the vehicle in two, causing it to erupt in flames. Both occupants were pronounced dead at the scene.
According to a family member of Kramer’s, Wehr had invited her from her home in Lakeland, Florida, to California. They had been communicating via social media for about a month and had never met in person until Friday. Wehr reportedly told Kramer he was separated and in the process of divorcing his wife, though the divorce had not yet been filed.
Kramer’s family expressed skepticism about Wehr’s marital status, but she wanted to believe his assurances. On the day of the crash, Kramer shared a photo from breakfast with a man whose tattoo sleeve matched Wehr’s, sending a text that read, “At cute breakfast place.”
Their day included breakfast, dinner at Nobu, and drinks at the Pendry hotel, according to the family member. A photo posted to Wehr’s social media showed his McLaren parked outside the hotel.
Authorities stated that the McLaren was stopped at a red light before accelerating rapidly when the light turned green. The driver lost control, the car jumped a curb, and it struck a tree. The speed of the vehicle and the identity of the driver at the time of the crash are still under investigation.