Social media influencer Summer Wheaton surrendered to authorities this week following a months-long investigation into a fatal car crash that claimed the life of 45-year-old ride-share driver Martin Okeke. The incident has ignited questions about accountability, influencer culture, and the dark side of high-profile parties.
Authorities say the 33-year-old influencer was behind the wheel of a 2019 Mercedes-Benz on Pacific Coast Highway when she allegedly crossed the center median and collided with Okeke’s 2020 Cadillac. He died at the scene, sparking an extensive investigation that ultimately resulted in charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and DUI-related offenses.
Summer Wheaton, a social media personality boasting over 100,000 followers on Instagram, allegedly departed from a lively gathering at the renowned Japanese restaurant Nobu, which concluded around 10 p.m. on July 4, 2024. As reported by The Malibu Times at the time, the venue was already facing scrutiny from the City of Malibu due to prior traffic-related concerns, along with another issue, the volume of alcohol served at the event. The event’s backers were entirely liquor brands, and the tables, priced between $10,000 and $75,000, supposedly featured multiple complimentary bottles of alcoholic drinks.
His family has since sued Wheaton as well as the trendy oceanfront restaurant, well-known for its celebrity clientele.
The influencer known for wellness and empowerment faced charges of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, driving under the influence of alcohol that resulted in bodily injury, and driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher that caused bodily injury.
On February 24, she turned herself in at the Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and was booked with a bond set at $230,000, which she subsequently posted. She was released from custody later that same day. But she now faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
Summer broke her silence in December, months after the crash, by sharing a video, saying, “The last few months have been hard. You know that feeling when life seems like it’s all falling apart, but somehow it’s a start of something really beautiful? Well, that was me.” She then went on to promote her $34.99 “faith-based planner.”
