Speed a Factor as Fast & Furious Star Paul Walker Dies in Fiery Porsche Wreck

Hollywood actor Paul Walker made a living out of speed. Tragically, it appears he died because of it.

The star of “Fast & Furious” was killed while he was a passenger in a high powered Porsche Carrera GT in Valencia near Los Angeles over the weekend.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said speed was a factor in the crash that killed Walker and his friend and financial advisor Roger Rodas, who was driving the Porsche.

The Porsche crashed into a light pole and a tree and burst into flames. Both of them were attending a charity event for his organization, Reach Out Worldwide, in Valencia in Santa Clarita, about 30 miles north of Hollywood that was intended to raise money to benefit victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Fans of Walker gathered on Sunday to lay flowers. Walker was a popular actor who will be greatly missed. He starred in the “Fast & Furious” movies and stars in an upcoming film called Hours about Hurricane Katrina.

Speed is a common cause of fatal crashes, accounting for up to a fifth of all accidents.

A 2009 report from the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated the percentage of speed related crashes in the US ranges from 6 percent to 20 percent of all crashes.

If you have been injured by a speeding driver in Virginia or lost a loved one due to excess speed, call our Virginia car accident lawyers. In cases in which passengers are killed due to the actions of a driver, their families often have grounds to bring a wrongful death lawsuit.