Instagram influencer arrested for deadly drunk driving crash: Sheriff

(LOS ANGELES) — An Instagram influencer accused of a drunk driving crash that killed a man in Southern California last summer has now been arrested, officials said.

Summer Wheaton, 33, surrendered Monday at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station when a warrant was issued for her arrest following a monthslong investigation, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

She faces several charges, including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence, the sheriff’s department said.

Wheaton was released after posting bond, according to records viewed by ABC News.

On the night of July 4, 2024, Wheaton allegedly crossed the median on the Pacific Coast Highway and crashed head-on into another vehicle, according to Los Angeles ABC station KABC.

The other car’s driver — 44-year-old rideshare driver Martin Okeke — was killed in the crash.

Beforehand, Wheaton had been at a large party at the restaurant Nobu in Malibu, KABC reported.

Wheaton has more than 100,000 followers on Instagram and describes herself online as a “wellness advocate” focused on “empowering individuals to become their highest selves.”

On Tuesday morning, a day after her arrest, Wheaton posted Bible verses to her Instagram story.

Wheaton went on a monthslong Instagram hiatus after the deadly crash, but returned in December with a promoted post for a “faith-based planner” she had created.

In the promotional video — which featured shots of Wheaton exercising, journaling and gazing out at the ocean — Wheaton spoke vaguely of a “hard” few months.

“You know that feeling when life feels like it’s all falling apart, but somehow it’s the start of something really beautiful? Well, that was me,” she said in the voiceover. “The last few months have been hard. I went through moments where I truly didn’t know I pulled through.”

“But in the chaos, something shifted. I was reminded of a deeper truth: that beautiful things can bloom out of despair,” she said. “Sometimes it’s in those broken places where faith takes root and grows stronger.”

Wheaton did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.