Alexis 'Lexi' Kramer, 22, a Hooters calendar girl from Lakeland, Florida, died alongside James Wehr, 27, the founder of South OC Cars and Coffee, when their McLaren supercar crashed and caught fire early Sunday in Irvine, California. Kramer had flown to California two days prior to meet Wehr, whom she had connected with on Instagram over the past month.
According to Kramer's sister, Gracie, Wehr had paid for her flight, claiming he was separated from his wife and in the process of divorcing. However, Gracie expressed doubts, noting that court records did not show a divorce case filed.
The pair spent part of Saturday at Wehr's South OC Cars and Coffee event, described as the world's largest weekly car show, attracting between 800 and 2,500 vehicles. They later dined and had drinks in Newport Beach before the fatal crash. Wehr had posted an image from a hotel and a photograph of the McLaren being stopped by police shortly before the incident.
Authorities reported that the McLaren was traveling at high speed when the light changed at Culver Drive and Deerfield Avenue in Irvine. The driver lost control, clipping a curb and crashing into a tree around 12:20 a.m. The impact split the vehicle in half, causing it to erupt in flames. Both occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash, including who was driving.
Kramer, who also worked as a bartender, had recently earned an associate's degree and secured a new leadership position. Her sister described her as "kind and funny and charismatic."
Wehr, who founded South OC Cars and Coffee with his father, Simon Wehr, was remembered by friends and family as an influential figure in the car community. His mother, Sarah Wehr, described him as a "magnificent man" devoted to his family and friends. His wife, Emma Wehr, mourned his loss, calling him "smart, kind, funny, loving, and genuinely one of the best people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing." Friends paid tribute to Wehr, with one calling him a "modern day Paul Walker" and an "icon in the car community."