{"id":463473,"date":"2026-09-14T16:14:12","date_gmt":"2026-09-14T16:14:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/463473\/"},"modified":"2026-09-14T16:14:12","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T16:14:12","slug":"new-information-about-the-deadly-mclaren-crash-in-orange-county","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/463473\/","title":{"rendered":"New information about the deadly McLaren crash in Orange County"},"content":{"rendered":"

Witnesses have recalled the horrifying moment a McLaren<\/a> crashed into a tree and ripped in half in Southern California, killing two people.<\/p>\n

James Wehr, 27, founder of the world\u2019s biggest weekly car show, South OC Cars and Coffee<\/a>, died along with another passenger when the supercar erupted into flames in Irvine shortly after midnight Saturday.<\/p>\n

Investigators said the vehicle had been stopped at a traffic light before accelerating northbound after the light turned green.<\/p>\n

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James Wehr and his wife Emma Wehr. James Wehr was killed when his McLaren slammed into a tree in Irvine. Instagram\/@emma__wehr<\/p>\n

The high-performance sports car was traveling at a high rate of speed when the driver apparently lost control, police said. One person heard the deadly crash.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was about to go to bed, and then I heard a big like, skrrrr and then a big boom. Me and my friends come out. Ginormous fire,\u201d a witness identified as Sid told ABC7<\/a>. \u201cThe whole car is just gone.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wehr, 27, was the founder of the world\u2019s biggest weekly car show, South OC Cars and Coffee. Instagram\/@wehr<\/p>\n

Following his death, Wehr\u2019s wife Emma shared a series of photographs of the couple and paid tribute to her husband. Instagram\/@emma__wehr<\/p>\n

\u201cThese cops are really good, they\u2019re really fast,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n

The McLaren struck a curb before smashing into a tree<\/a> with such force that the vehicle broke apart and caught fire.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen the fire was put out, they were found deceased inside their vehicle,\u201d Irvine Police Department Representative Kyle Oldoerp said of the two passengers.<\/p>\n

Officers and Orange County Fire Authority crews raced to the scene after receiving reports of the fiery single-vehicle wreck.<\/p>\n

The high-performance sports car was traveling at a high rate of speed when the driver apparently lost control.<\/p>\n

Investigators said the vehicle had been stopped at a traffic light before accelerating after the light turned green. County News<\/p>\n

The cause of the Sunday-morning crash is under investigation. County News<\/p>\n

Officers and OC Fire Authority crews raced to the scene after receiving reports of the fiery single-vehicle wreck. County News<\/p>\n

Wehr\u2019s family members identified him as a victim of the Irvine crash. However, the Orange County Coroner\u2019s Office has not released any details about the two victims.<\/p>\n

The California Post has contacted the office for comment. Police have not said whether another vehicle was involved, and the circumstances leading up to the crash remain under investigation.<\/p>\n

Wehr had spent the day surrounded by the car culture<\/a> that made him well known in Southern California. He was the founder of\u00a0South OC Cars and Coffee, a massive weekly gathering for car enthusiasts.<\/p>\n

He had attended one of the regular meetups earlier that day. Just hours before the fatal crash, he also appeared to post a photo on Instagram showing a police cruiser behind him in Newport Beach<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Wehr\u2019s high-performance sports cars spurred his passion for car culture. Instagram\/@wehr<\/p>\n

Following his death, Wehr\u2019s wife Emma shared a series of photographs of the couple and paid tribute to her husband.<\/p>\n

\u201cJames, I never thought the day would come that I\u2019d have to say such a final goodbye. Getting the opportunity to love you will always be the greatest blessing in my life,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re smart, kind, funny, loving, and genuinely one of the best people I\u2019ve had the pleasure of knowing,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n

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