Paul Walker's Sudden Death of 'Fast & Furious 7' Franchise
Paul Walker, 40, was a passenger in a 2005 red Porsche Carrera GT accompanied by friend and financial adviser, Roger Rodas that crashed Saturday. The friends were leaving a fundraiser in the community of Valencia, about 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles when the accident occurred.
The actor’s publicist, Ame Van Iden, confirmed Walker’s death on Saturday via his official Twitter and Facebook pages.
The Sheriff’s department said Sunday that speed was a factor in the one-car crash, though it will take time to determine how fast the car was going.
Because Walker is so closely associated with the underground culture of street racing portrayed in the popular film franchise, the accident had an eerie quality — a tragic end for a Hollywood hero of speed.
On Sunday, fans gathered to leave flowers, candles and memorabilia from the action movies. His “Fast & Furious” co-star Tyrese Gibson broke down when he visited the crash site.
“Paul is the heartbeat of this franchise and we’re gonna see to it that his energy and presence lives on forever,” Gibson later posted on his Instagram account.
Sheriff’s deputy Peter Gomez said investigators were trying to determine how fast the car was traveling and what caused it to go out of control, including whether the driver was distracted or something in the road prompted him to swerve.
After the Porsche crashed into a light pole and tree, it burst into flames. The downed light pole had a speed limit sign of 45 mph.
Walker rode the “Fast & Furious” franchise to fame, starring in all but one of the six action blockbusters, beginning with the first film in 2001. He had been on break from shooting the seventh installment; production began in September and while much of the film has been shot, it’s incomplete.
He is survived by his 15-year-old daughter. Rodas is survived by his wife and two children.
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