Social media influencer arrested for deadly Malibu crash
Deputies arrested self-proclaimed wellness advocate Summer Wheaton for a crash in Malibu that killed a 44-year-old man last year.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department booked Wheaton for several charges, including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence with a BAC of .08% or more. Deputies said she surrendered to the Malibu/Lost Hills Station after they issued a warrant for her arrest.
The collision happened on July 4, 2024, just west of Carbon Canyon, roughly a mile from Nobu Malibu on Pacific Coast Highway. Investigators said Wheaton was driving eastbound in her 2019 Mercedes Benz when she crossed the median and collided head-on with Martin Okeke's 2020 Cadillac.
The crash closed PCH for roughly 12 hours as deputies combed through the twisted remnants of both vehicles.
Okeke died along the road shortly after the crash while Wheaton and another passenger were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators described Wheaton as a social media influencer. She currently has roughly 101,000 followers on Instagram.
In a video from Dec. 17, 2024, she shows a scar on her arm and says "the last few have been hard" before promoting a 2025 "faith-based planner" for $34.99. The post was a paid partnership with Template to Life, whose Instagram has five posts, all of which feature Wheaton.
The video was posted two weeks after Okeke's family filed a wrongful death suit against her, claiming she was "severely intoxicated and impaired" after attending a party hosted by the Hwood Group at Nobu Malibu.
The Hwood Group and Nobu Malibu were named as defendants in the lawsuit. The Okeke family claim Wheaton "expected to consume intoxicants" and that the two companies knew she was "unsafe to drive her vehicle, but still provided [Wheaton] with her keys and car."
