Two killed in high-speed McLaren crash on Irvine road, police cite speed as likely factor

A 2019 McLaren sports car crashed into a pine tree on Culver Drive in Irvine early Sunday, splitting in two and igniting a fire that killed driver James Wehr, 27, and passenger Alexis Kramer, 22. Police said the vehicle was stopped at a red light on Deerfield Avenue, accelerated when the light turned green, and left dark tire marks before losing control, jumping a curb and striking the tree. The speed limit on that stretch is 50 mph, and investigators believe excessive speed contributed to the crash. > "The vehicle lost control, crashed and broke into pieces," Irvine Police spokesperson Kyle Oldoerp told reporters. > "You need to have sufficient speed to be able to do that," he added.

Wehr, an Australian-born car enthusiast who co-founded the South OC Cars and Coffee weekly meetup, was stopped earlier on Saturday night by Newport Beach police for a loud exhaust; the officer issued a warning. The crash occurred about five hours later. Authorities have not yet released the name of the driver who was behind the wheel at the time of the accident.

The incident has prompted renewed attention to speeding and street-racing concerns in Irvine, a city known for its straight, wide thoroughfares that attract high-performance vehicles. The Irvine Police Department, which has used drones and formed a dedicated street-racing enforcement team, reported a decline in overall traffic collisions from 590 in 2016 to 93 in 2021, alongside increased citations for reckless driving.

A makeshift memorial has formed at the base of the charred pine, with bouquets, toy cars and a silver cross. Family members of both victims posted tributes on social media, describing their loved ones as passionate about cars and expressing grief over the loss.