Porsche Denies Reponsibility For Walker Death
The German car firm says the crash which killed the actor and his friend was caused by "reckless driving and excessive speed".
14:16 Wednesday 30 September 2015
By Sky News US Team
Paul Walker died in the crash in Santa Clarita in November 2013
Porsche has denied responsibility for the fatal accident in which Fast & Furious star Paul Walker died in November 2013.
The German sports car manufacturer released a statement in response to a lawsuit filed by the actor's daughter Meadow Rain Walker on Monday which argued that defects in the Porsche Carrera GT he was in meant he was trapped in the vehicle after the crash.
It said: "As we have said before, we are very sad whenever anyone is hurt in a Porsche vehicle, but we believe the authorities' reports in this case clearly establish that this tragic crash resulted from reckless driving and excessive speed."
Ms Walker, 16, is suing the company for unspecified damages and also claims the car lacked a proper stability control system, as well as safeguards to stop it catching fire after a crash.
Paul Walker and daughter Meadow Rain Walker
The actor was on a break from filming the seventh film in the Fast & Furious franchise when he was killed.
He was a passenger in the Carrera GT driven by friend and business associate Roger Rodas when the car spun out of control, struck three trees and burst into flames in Santa Clarita, California.
The 18-page lawsuit includes a detailed account of the crash and claims that the Porsche was travelling at between 63 and 71mph when it spun out of control.
It states: "Absent these defects in the Porsche Carrera GT, Paul Walker would be alive today."
Investigators have concluded the car was travelling much faster - at up to 94mph - when it crashed.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the California Highway Patrol concluded that it was unsafe speed, not mechanical problems, that caused the crash.
Porsche engineers evaluated the wreckage of the car as part of the investigation.
The lawsuit also alleges the car lacked proper reinforcements in its doors and used rubber fuel lines that did not break free to prevent a fire in a crash.
Similar allegations of design and safety defects were included in a wrongful death lawsuit made by Mr Rodas' widow, Kristine Rodas. That lawsuit remains pending in a Los Angeles federal court.
Mr Rodas, a father-of-two, was a trained race car driver and was only driving 55mph, according to his wife's lawsuit.
Mr Walker co-owned the Always Evolving auto racing team with Mr Rodas. Meadow Walker is the sole heir of his estate.
The actor's two brothers helped complete actions scenes in Furious 7, which earned more than $1.5bn globally after it was released in April.
