Just before 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, September 14, 2026, a 2019 McLaren 720S was stopped at the red light at Culver Drive and Deerfield Avenue in Irvine. When the light changed, the car accelerated explosively northbound. Seconds later, the driver lost control on the wet pavement, braked hard, veered right, and slammed into a tree. The impact split the supercar in two. Both occupants — later identified as James Wehr, 27, a well-known Orange County car influencer and founder of South OC Cars and Coffee, and his passenger, Alexis “Lexi” Kramer, 22, of Florida — were killed as the wreckage erupted in flames.
It is a tragedy by any measure. But the wreck also raises urgent legal questions that apply far beyond this particular case: when speed, alcohol, or drugs contribute to a fatal crash, what criminal exposure does a surviving driver face under California law? And what does a high-quality defense look like?
The Irvine Police Department’s Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) has confirmed that speed was a significant factor and that investigators will examine all possible contributing factors, including roadway conditions, vehicle mechanics, speed, and any factors that may have affected the driver’s operation of the McLaren. That last phrase — carefully chosen by law enforcement — is a reference to alcohol and drug impairment. Notably, Newport Beach Police had stopped the McLaren earlier that same evening and issued a warning to the driver before the fatal sequence of events unfolded.
Orange County DUI Lawyer Blog