A 2019 McLaren accelerated hard from a stop at a green light on Culver Drive early Sunday, then lost control, hit a curb, slammed into a tree, split into two pieces, and burst into flames — killing both people inside. Irvine police and Orange County Fire Authority crews responded to the intersection of Culver Drive and Deerfield Avenue around 12:20 a.m. to find the wreckage burning, with first responders locating two deceased occupants inside.
According to an Irvine Police Department statement reported by MyNewsLA.com, the McLaren had stopped northbound on Culver Drive at Deerfield Avenue and rapidly accelerated the moment the light turned green. The driver lost control, veered right, struck the curb and a tree, and the car split in two before catching fire. As reported by CBS News Los Angeles, authorities have released no additional details, and the identities of the two people killed have not been made public.
Police say the driver was traveling at a high rate of speed before losing control, though the exact velocity involved hasn't been disclosed. Authorities have not released additional details about the crash. Irvine police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash or who has additional information to call traffic investigators at 949-724-7047.
A Supercar Built for Speed, Not Suburban Streets
The 2019 McLaren 720S packs a twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing 710 horsepower, according to JD Power. That car can hit 60 mph in under three seconds and top speeds beyond 200 mph — numbers that leave almost no margin for error on a stoplight-controlled arterial road like Culver Drive.
Irvine police are investigating the crash. The department's Major Accident Investigation Team is mentioned in connection with the case. The article does not specify when toxicology or reconstruction findings would be finalized.
Not the First Fiery Supercar Wreck in the Area
This is not the first time a McLaren has torn apart and ignited on a Southern California road. In October 2019, a driver lost control of a McLaren and slammed into a traffic signal on Community Center Drive near the Laguna Hills Community Center, and the car burst into flames, according to Patch.
Culver Drive itself has a troubled history with high-speed, single-vehicle wrecks. In March 2021, a Tesla veered off the road between Barranca Parkway and Warner Avenue, struck a tree at high speed, and caught fire, killing the driver, per the Crockett Law Group. And on April 19, 2025, a fatal crash involving a dark-colored Chevy SUV occurred on Irvine Center Drive and was investigated by Irvine police, as reported by CBS News.
What California Law Says About Deadly Speed
The article cites California Vehicle Code Section 23109(a) in its discussion of speed contests and street racing on public roads.
The article separately cites California Penal Code Section 192(c) in its discussion of vehicular manslaughter. No charges have been announced in connection with Sunday's crash, and investigators have not said whether either statute applies.
The Major Accident Investigation Team is investigating this crash. The article also includes background on a fatal Irvine collision involving a single vehicle striking a pole, part of a pattern of deadly single-car wrecks across the city's roadways.
