[KHTS] – Nearly two years after the fiery crash in Santa Clarita, Porsche officials claim Paul Walker’s death and injuries were his fault, and not the manufacturer’s.
Walker’s “death, and all other injuries or damages claimed, were the result of (his) own comparative fault,” court documents filed by Porsche said, according to a CNN article.
Walker and his friend, Roger Rodas, were killed on Nov. 30, 2013 in a single-vehicle car collision in the Valencia industrial park.
The 40-year-old actor is best known for his role as Brian O’Connor in the “Fast and Furious” films. His brothers were used as body doubles and computer-generated images superimposed his face onto his brother’s for the characters last scenes.
Porsche told CNN that the car “was abused and altered after being placed into the stream of commerce in a manner that was not reasonably foreseeable to (Porsche Cars North America).”
A wrongful death lawsuit was filed against Porsche on behalf of Walker’s daughter, 16-year-old Meadow Rain Walker, in September.
The lawsuit alleged that the vehicle lacked safety features “that are found on well-designed racing cars or even Porsche’s least expensive road cars — features that could have prevented the accident or, at a minimum, allowed Paul Walker to survive the crash,” according to CNN.
Rodas’ wife previously sued Porsche, alleging the suspension on the car failed and caused the crash.
“The bottom line is that the Porsche Carrera GT is a dangerous car. It doesn’t belong on the street,” Walker’s attorney, Jeff Milam, said in a statement to CNN in a previous article. “And we shouldn’t be without Paul Walker or his friend, Roger Rodas.”
Investigators determined in March of 2014 that the cause of the crash was unsafe speed for the roadway conditions, said Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Commander Mike Parker to CNN.
“As we have said before, we are saddened whenever anyone is hurt in a Porsche vehicle, but we believe the authorities’ reports in this case clearly established that this tragic crash resulted from reckless driving and excessive speed,” Calvin Kim with Porsche Cars North America said in a previous interview with CNN.
“(Roger Rodas) was driving a red Porsche Carrera GT at an unsafe speed, approximately 100+ mph, in the No. 1 eastbound lane on Hercules Street, approaching Constitution,” according to the Coroner’s Office report.
“For unknown reasons, the driver lost control of his vehicle, and the vehicle partially spun around, and began traveling in a southeast direction. The vehicle then struck a curb, and the driver’s side of the vehicle struck a tree and then a light post,” the report continued.
The force of the collision then spun the car around again, and the passenger’s side struck a tree and the vehicle burst into flames, according to notes from Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, who were the investigators first on the scene.
Walker was in Santa Clarita Valley for a toy drive to benefit his nonprofit and was the passenger in the Porsche Carrera GT that Rodas was driving.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
Tweet This
Facebook
Digg This
Bookmark
Stumble
RSS
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
19 Comments
Yeah it’s called speeding
Yep, it was sad, but he should have been more aware of the driver’s speed. Too bad :(
Is he is where we blame silverware manufacturers for heavy people?
It’s very sad, but fortunately they didn’t kill anyone else. Folks who weren’t into racing fancy cars
Jack Potter
A horrible example of greed and misuse of our legal system. It is not like Walker’s widow needs the money…the current issue of Forbes (Nov 23) states Walker to be the 9th highest earning celebrity after death. He brought in $10,500,000 in the past 12 months. Most of us probably know this street and curve…30 mph ok, I’m sure they knew 90 mph was way too fast. You can be sure there is a group of scum-sucking attorneys behind this. Absolutely shameful and a waste of time and money for taxpayers and our justice system. Rodas’ and Walkers’ estate should be paying for all the money this has cost already.
He was the passenger. Interesting concussion #Porsche.
But he wasn’t driving.
He wasn’t driving ? let him rest in peace ?
While I feel very sorry for his daughter, I have thought since the moment it happened…speed kills. This accident was proof unfortunately. The streets of the SCV are not a controlled race environment and those 2 poor souls paid the price. RIP
The only reason Porsche is even pointing it out is because his daughter is suing them for the crash! Anyone that knows that area and that street knows better then to drive and speed down that street! I personally lay blame on the driver AND passenger! RIP to them both!
Think about this all cars have safety features to prevent feul fires that cars safety equipment failed they would have survived that crash and the sheriff’s dept wasn’t there to witness the crash so they speculated how fast they were going.That car is a street legal production car!!I Think those cars SHOULD BE RECALLED FOR THE FUEL CUT OFF SWITCH IT FAILED AND THE FUEL TANK DESIGN SHOULD BE RECALLED AND REDESIGNED TO STOP THE CAR FROM IMPACT FUEL FIRES!!Think about this all the cars on the road very rare to see someone burning to death in a car because they are designed not to catch fire !!Porche is at fault for the poor designs in that car this same car has killed other people this isn’t the first-time one of these cars has killed some one there are three other deaths related to this same car all by fire!!
HELLO!!!! He wasn’t driving, so no he is not responsible for his own death. Rodas is at fault here and no one else. Wake the hell up.
Is his daughter going to try and sue the city of Santa Clarita too for not making Kelly Johnson Pkwy safe for speeders? Just ridiculous how money hungry some people can be.
The truth may hurt but speed kills. Hope his daughter learned from this tragic loss of her father.
Don’t blame his daughter for suing blame the stupid lawyer for putting it in her head to sue money grabbers !!!
Dennis, any car subjected to those kinds of forces is susceptible to a fuel cell rupture; a shutoff switch would have done nothing in this type of collision. Being a “street legal production car”, as you said, signifies that it was crash tested and certified for use on the street. But I’m sure you knew that already. Police crash investigators didn’t need to be there to reconstruct the incident the same way crime scene analysts don’t need to be present to tell how a murder happened. Bottom line is, driving a car like this equipped with 9 year old tires on an uneven road surface not meant for racing is downright negligent.
It’s his fault and he was the passenger. Some serious journalism right here!
Sad, but I believe true….?