By Allison Pari and Perry Smith

Paul Walker

[KHTS] – Actor Paul Walker and racecar driver Roger Rodas have been confirmed as the two people involved in the fatal, solo-car crash Saturday afternoon in Valencia.

Rodas was also confirmed as the driver of the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT that collided with a light standard and tree and burst into flames on Hercules Street at Kelly Johnson Parkway.

Rodas’ cause of death was described as “multiple traumatic injuries,” and Walker died of the “combined effects of traumatic and thermal injuries,” according to a press release from the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office.

Both deaths have been ruled by Coroner Mark Fajardo to be accidents.

Toxicology is still pending on both cases. The estimated completion time frame for toxicology will be 6-8 weeks. Once the toxicology is complete, copies of the report will be available.

Roger Rodas

Speed is suspected as a factor in the crash, according to Sheriff’s Station Detective Jeff Maag.

Initially, Lt. Larry Dietz of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station said the two bodies of the crash victims were “unidentifiable,” and that dental or skeletal records would likely be used for the official confirmation.

Walker had been in Santa Clarita to help out with a charity effort put on by Reach Out WorldWide.

“(Paul Walker) was the founder, he was a responder, he was a main part of it, 100 percent,” said JD Dorfman, operations manager for ROWW. “He’s not someone who just lent his name to the organization.”

Walker and Rodas’ Santa Clarita-based company Always Evolving, were doing a toy drive to benefit ROWW.

Memorial Planned for Sunday at Crash Site

A Paul Walker memorial scheduled for Sunday at the site of Walker’s fatal Santa Clarita crash is expected to draw thousands, based on Facebook postings.

Car enthusiasts from across the state, as well as fans of the “Fast and the Furious” movie franchise, posted messages on a group called “Paul Walker / Roger Rodas Memorial Meet (SoCal).”

The page was created by SoCal Car Meets, which is not claiming to be the creators of the memorial, just the conveyors, according to the Facebook page.

“This memorial meet belongs to all the fansm” the page reads. “It is NOT organized by us… we are just the medium that transfers the information.”

The memorial is expected to take place Sunday from noon to 5 p.m., at the site of Walker and Rodas’ fatal crash Saturday. The address listed on the Facebook page for the crash site is 25690 Hercules St., in Valencia.

The Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station released statement asking those paying their respects to Walker and Rodas to obey posted traffic and parking signage.

“As the investigation continues into this tragic incident, Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Deputies ask that all persons wishing to visit the site of the tragedy follow all local and state laws, including traffic laws and posted no parking signs,” the statement read. “Many people have come to the site, including news media, throughout the day and night since the collision occurred.”

Many have been parking illegally, the statement continues, and deputies warn that those who ignore signs do so at their own risk, because property managers could request to have vehicles towed if they violate “no parking” signs.

A private memorial took place Tuesday night, with Universal Studios officials obtaining permits and hiring deputies to close off the streets near the crash site.

Since Saturday’s crash, hundreds, including Walker’s movie star friends such as Vin Diesel have visited the site, paying their respects with flowers, candles and memorabilia from Walker’s most famous works, the “Fast and the Furious” movie franchise.

The movies revolve around the culture of street racing.

Mark A. Fajardo

Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner

1104 North Mission Road

Los Angeles, CA  90033

Contact

Chief Craig Harvey

Assistant Chief Ed Winter

Media/PIO

(323) 343-0783/0788

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RE: Coroner Case Number 2013-08210 – RODAS, Roger &

       Coroner Case Number 2013-08211 – WALKER, Paul

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner conducted an autopsy on the bodies of Roger Rodas, age 38 and Paul William Walker IV, age 40, on December 3rd, 2013.

The findings of the autopsy have established the causes of death to be as follows:

Mr. Rodas (Driver) – Multiple Traumatic Injuries

Mr. Walker (Passenger) – Combined Effects of Traumatic and Thermal Injuries

How Injury Occurred: Auto versus Fixed Object

Both deaths have been ruled by the Coroner to be Accidents.

Toxicology is still pending on both cases. The estimated completion time frame for toxicology will be 6-8 weeks. Once the toxicology is complete, copies of the report will be available.