Car Influencer and Passenger Die in Fiery McLaren Crash

A McLaren sports car slammed into a tree and burst into flames early Sunday morning, killing its driver, car influencer James Wehr, and his passenger, Alexis "Lexi" Kramer.

The crash occurred shortly after midnight near Culver Drive and Deerfield Avenue in Irvine, California. Dashcam footage from another vehicle shows Wehr's purple McLaren accelerating rapidly before appearing to hit a wet patch of pavement. The car swerved, its brake lights activating, before impacting a tree with a forceful explosion.

Irvine Police Department spokesperson Ziggy Azarcon stated that speed is believed to have been a factor in the collision. A law enforcement source indicated that Wehr was likely driving at the time of the crash.

Wehr, 27, was the founder of South OC Cars and Coffee and had attended one of his car shows earlier that day. Approximately one hour before the fatal crash, Wehr posted an Instagram photo that appeared to show a police cruiser pulling him over in Newport Beach.

Kramer, 22, was from Lakeland, Florida, and had been a Hooters calendar girl. Her family told The Post that she had flown to California on Friday to meet Wehr. According to a family member, Wehr had informed Kramer that he was separating from his wife and that a divorce was in progress. However, Orange County court records did not show any divorce filings.

Kramer and Wehr had been communicating for about a month before meeting in person. The family member described Kramer as having a passion for American muscle cars and motorcycles, and a love for the car community, making the circumstances of her death particularly tragic.

Emergency responders battled the blaze, and the bodies of Wehr and Kramer were discovered after the fire subsided. The Irvine Police Department's investigation into the crash is ongoing.