On Sunday morning, a tragic high-speed car accident in Irvine resulted in the deaths of two individuals, one of whom was connected to a popular Orange County car show. The incident occurred around 12:18 a.m., involving a 2019 McLaren that struck a tree near Culver Drive and Deerfield Avenue.

Irvine police stated that the car, after being halted at a red light, accelerated rapidly once the light changed. The driver subsequently lost control of the vehicle, which veered over a curb before colliding with a tree. The impact was severe, causing the car to split in two and ignite.

Authorities have not publicly identified the victims. However, a notable Instagram account, “South OC Cars and Coffee,” identified one of the deceased as 27-year-old James Wehr. Wehr was a co-founder of the group that organizes a weekly car show in San Clemente, which draws a large number of performance and muscle cars.

A grieving family member conveyed their sorrow through a post, stating, “This morning, just after midnight, we lost our darling son and brother James, in a motor accident. We respectfully ask for privacy as a family, as we process this profound loss.”