Roger Rodas, a former race car driver and who was a friend to Paul Walker, was identified the driver of the car that left him and Walker dead on Saturday in Southern California.
The Santa Clarita Valley Signal reported that Rodas was the other person in the vehicle. Rodas was also described as a financial adviser for Walker, 40.
“When we saw Paul and Roger leave, Paul was the passenger in the vehicle,” an eyewitness said. “They were both experienced drivers.”
Jeff Westphal, another race car driver, confirmed that Rodas was the driver, reported Fox.
“We heard the crash; we heard the explosion, and we got up here as quick as we could to find out what it was,” Jim Torp, Walker’s friend, told ABC.
“There was nothing...we tried...went through fire extinguishers and...,” said another friend, Antonio Holmes.
AP UPDATE:
A fiery car crash north of Los Angeles has killed 40-year-old Paul Walker, the star of the “Fast & Furious” movie series, and one other person in the vehicle.
Deputies found a Porsche Carrera GT engulfed in flames when they responded to a report of a collision Saturday afternoon in the community of Valencia, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said. Two people who were found in the car were pronounced dead at the scene.
Walker’s publicist Ame Van Iden confirmed the actor’s death. A statement on Walker’s Facebook page said he was a passenger in a friend’s car, and that Walker was in the area to attend a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide.
The Sheriff’s Department said that speed was a factor in the crash.
The Santa Clarita Valley Signal reported that the Porsche crashed into a light pole and tree and burst into flames. The fundraiser, to benefit victims of Typhoon Haiyan, took place at a nearby racecar shop. Attendees rushed to put out the flames with fire extinguishers to no avail.
“All of us at Universal are heartbroken,” Universal Pictures, which has released the “Fast & Furious” franchise, said in a statement. “Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the ‘Fast and Furious’ films, and to countless fans.”
His “Fast & Furious” co-star Vin Diesel posted a photograph of him and Walker arm-in-arm on Instagram with the message: “Brother I will miss you very much. I am absolutely speechless.”
Walker rode the “Fast & Furious” franchise to stardom, starring in all but one of the six action blockbusters, beginning with the first film in 2001. The blond-haired, blue-eyed Los Angeles-native brought California surfer good-looks and an easy, warm charm to the popular street-racing series.
The son of a fashion model and a sewer contractor, Walker grew up in a working class, Mormon household in Glendale, Calif. The oldest of five siblings, Walker’s mother began taking him to auditions as a toddler. He was a child model beginning at the age of 2.
Walker has said the early induction to show business wasn’t to start him on a career path, but as a way to help provide for the family.
After a string of TV roles as a child in the ‘80s, including small roles on “Who’s the Boss” and “Charles in Charge,” Walker made his feature film debut in the 1998 comedy “Meet the Deedles.” Supporting roles in the films “Pleasantville,” ’'Varsity Blues“ and ”Flags of Our Fathers” followed.
His performance in the 2000 thriller “The Skulls” caught the eye of producer Neal H. Moritz, who cast him in “The Fast and the Furious” as undercover police officer Brian O'Conner. Adapted from a Vibe magazine article about underground street races, the film became an unexpected hit.
In the sequel, “2 Fast 2 Furious,” Walker moved to center stage with Diesel temporarily dropping out. Walker, a self-described “gearhead,” kept his character’s sports car from the film.
Walker starred in other films, including the crime thriller “Running Scared,” the Antarctic adventure “Eight Below” and the heist film “Takers.” Though his stardom didn’t make as much of an impact outside the “Fast & Furious” series, Walker continually drew praise from his co-stars and directors as a kind-hearted and eager collaborator.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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