Famed ‘Fast and Furious’ actor, Paul Walker, has died at age 40. According to TMZ , he was involved in a single-car crash and explosion that occurred Saturday afternoon. The Santa Clarita Valley Signal reported that the fatal accident happened at approximately 3:30 p.m. on Hercules Street near Constellation Rd. in the Rye Canyon Business Park district of Santa Clarita, CA. Sources close to the actor have explained that he was in Santa Clara for a car show in support of the Philippines typhoon relief efforts.
A number of inside sources Los Angeles County Fire Department stated that the actor was riding in his new red Porsche GT. The Los Angeles County Fire Department stated that the driver lost control of the vehicle and collided with a light standard. The vehicle immediately went up in flames.
The Valley Signal also issued an updated statement from spectators who witnessed the fiery crash. “Spectators gathered at the scene, and several said the driver was the star of ‘The Fast and the Furious’ series of films. One witness at the scene said he tried to put the fire out and recognized Walker inside the vehicle.
“We all ran around and jumped in cars and grabbed fire extinguishers and immediately went to the vehicle. It was engulfed in flames. There was nothing. They were trapped. Employees, friends of the shop. We tried. We tried. We went through fire extinguishers.”
“When we saw Paul and Roger leave, Paul was the passenger in the vehicle. They both were experienced drivers. This was just a tragic accident that happened on a joyride,” said Jim Torp to the Valley Signal. Others have also stated that Walker, himself, was actually driving for the test rides when the fatal accident occurred. However, the details have not been proven to be factual as of yet.
Walker is said to have business affiliation with Always Evolving Performance which is also located on Constellation Rd. In addition to the car show, Always Evolving hosted a meet-and-greet and a toy drive for the upcoming holiday season.
There are currently no further details stating the direct cause of the accident. It is also unclear whether Walker was actually behind the wheel of the car at the time of the accident. The LA County Coroner’s Office has not yet released a statement. However, Walker’s representatives took to his Twitter account to confirm the news.
Walker is survived by his girlfriend, Rebecca, and daughter, Meadow, 14.
It’s with a heavy heart that we must confirm Paul Walker passed away today in a tragic car accident…MORE: http://t.co/9hDuJMH99M – #TeamPW
— Paul Walker (@RealPaulWalker) December 1, 2013
http://youtu.be/bYMW6cZYL3w