Topline: A Los Angeles influencer pleaded not guilty in Van Nuys to charges tied to the Malibu crash that killed rideshare driver Martin Okeke.
Published: July 2, 2026 12:00 pm ET
Shawn Fletcher
Committed to the craft of journalism and am driven by my desire to inform and inspire.
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Summer Wheaton, left, and the scene of the July 4, 2024, fatal crash on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, Calif. (yepitsmesummer via Instagram; RMG News)
MALIBU, CA — Summer Wheaton pleaded not guilty during a Wednesday arraignment in Van Nuys in the 2024 Malibu crash that killed rideshare driver Martin Okeke, moving forward a criminal case tied to a deadly head-on collision on Pacific Coast Highway.
According to KTLA, Wheaton, 35, is facing vehicular manslaughter and two DUI charges in connection with the Fourth of July 2024 wreck.
Authorities have said the crash happened after Wheaton left a party at Nobu Malibu on July 4, 2024. Earlier reporting on the case said the collision happened at about 10:20 p.m. or 10:30 p.m. on Pacific Coast Highway near Carbon Canyon when Wheaton’s eastbound 2019 Mercedes-Benz crossed the center median and slammed head-on into a westbound 2020 Cadillac driven by Okeke.
Okeke, a 44-year-old rideshare driver, died at the scene. Wheaton and a passenger from the other vehicle were hospitalized after the crash, according to prior law enforcement and media reports on the case.
Wheaton was previously arrested in February after a monthslong investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Earlier coverage said she surrendered at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and was booked on charges including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and DUI-related counts before posting bond.
The fatal crash has drawn sustained attention in Southern California because it happened after a celebrity-filled holiday party in Malibu and because Okeke’s family has also pursued a wrongful death lawsuit tied to the collision.
The criminal case now continues after Wheaton’s not guilty plea in Van Nuys.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
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A Los Angeles influencer pleaded not guilty in Van Nuys to charges tied to the Malibu crash that killed rideshare driver Martin Okeke.
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Published: July 2, 2026 12:00 pm ET
Summer Wheaton, left, and the scene of the July 4, 2024, fatal crash on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, Calif. (yepitsmesummer via Instagram; RMG News)
MALIBU, CA — Summer Wheaton pleaded not guilty during a Wednesday arraignment in Van Nuys in the 2024 Malibu crash that killed rideshare driver Martin Okeke, moving forward a criminal case tied to a deadly head-on collision on Pacific Coast Highway.
According to KTLA, Wheaton, 35, is facing vehicular manslaughter and two DUI charges in connection with the Fourth of July 2024 wreck.
Authorities have said the crash happened after Wheaton left a party at Nobu Malibu on July 4, 2024. Earlier reporting on the case said the collision happened at about 10:20 p.m. or 10:30 p.m. on Pacific Coast Highway near Carbon Canyon when Wheaton’s eastbound 2019 Mercedes-Benz crossed the center median and slammed head-on into a westbound 2020 Cadillac driven by Okeke.
Okeke, a 44-year-old rideshare driver, died at the scene. Wheaton and a passenger from the other vehicle were hospitalized after the crash, according to prior law enforcement and media reports on the case.
Wheaton was previously arrested in February after a monthslong investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Earlier coverage said she surrendered at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and was booked on charges including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and DUI-related counts before posting bond.
The fatal crash has drawn sustained attention in Southern California because it happened after a celebrity-filled holiday party in Malibu and because Okeke’s family has also pursued a wrongful death lawsuit tied to the collision.
The criminal case now continues after Wheaton’s not guilty plea in Van Nuys.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Influencer Pleads Not Guilty in Malibu Crash That Killed Uber Driver After Nobu Party
A Los Angeles influencer pleaded not guilty in Van Nuys to charges tied to the Malibu crash that killed rideshare driver Martin Okeke.
By Shawn Fletcher
Published: July 2, 2026 12:00 pm ET
Summer Wheaton, left, and the scene of the July 4, 2024, fatal crash on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, Calif. (yepitsmesummer via Instagram; RMG News)
MALIBU, CA — Summer Wheaton pleaded not guilty during a Wednesday arraignment in Van Nuys in the 2024 Malibu crash that killed rideshare driver Martin Okeke, moving forward a criminal case tied to a deadly head-on collision on Pacific Coast Highway.
According to KTLA, Wheaton, 35, is facing vehicular manslaughter and two DUI charges in connection with the Fourth of July 2024 wreck.
Authorities have said the crash happened after Wheaton left a party at Nobu Malibu on July 4, 2024. Earlier reporting on the case said the collision happened at about 10:20 p.m. or 10:30 p.m. on Pacific Coast Highway near Carbon Canyon when Wheaton’s eastbound 2019 Mercedes-Benz crossed the center median and slammed head-on into a westbound 2020 Cadillac driven by Okeke.
Okeke, a 44-year-old rideshare driver, died at the scene. Wheaton and a passenger from the other vehicle were hospitalized after the crash, according to prior law enforcement and media reports on the case.
Wheaton was previously arrested in February after a monthslong investigation by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Earlier coverage said she surrendered at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station and was booked on charges including gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and DUI-related counts before posting bond.
The fatal crash has drawn sustained attention in Southern California because it happened after a celebrity-filled holiday party in Malibu and because Okeke’s family has also pursued a wrongful death lawsuit tied to the collision.
The criminal case now continues after Wheaton’s not guilty plea in Van Nuys.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
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