Photography
Thousands Pay Respects to Actor Paul Walker and Roger Rodas
|
Uploaded 12/01/2013 Photos By Austin Dave [Story: KHTS, Perry Smith] – Paul Walker, of “The Fast and the Furious” franchise, was a passenger in a single-car crash Saturday in Santa Clarita that killed two people, including Walker. Deputies with the Traffic Unit of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station responded to the collision in the 28300 block of Rye Canyon Loop Road at approximately 3:30 p.m. The vehicle, a red Porsche, was traveling eastbound, just west of Constellation Road in the industrial park when the driver lost control, apparently at a high rate of speed, said Sgt. Brian Allen of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. The Porsche struck a tree and burst into flames. Speed was possibly a factor in the crash, said Allen, who was first on the scene. The cause of the crash is still under investigation. “We just know that the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed,” Allen said. “Between the skid marks and the damage to the vehicle, it appears as though the vehicle was traveling at a very significant rate of speed.” A man who worked for one of two Valencia-based companies owned by the movie star said Walker was in the car with Roger Rodas, CEO of Always Evolving, a performance shop for high-end vehicles. The employee asked to remain anonymous because he was not authorized to give a statement. Walker was in the Santa Clarita Valley to promote a charity giveaway for his nonprofit, Reach Out Worldwide. “It is with a truly heavy heart that we must confirm that Paul Walker passed away today in a tragic car accident while attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide,” read a statement on his Facebook page. “He was a passenger in a friend’s car, in which both lost their lives.” The Porsche was fully engulfed when Allen arrived on scene. There were individuals who were trying to put out the flames with hand-held fire extinguishers, but the fire was too intense, Allen said. “With a fire like that, that’s just not going to happen,” Allen said. “The heat is just too much.” Both occupants were declared dead at the scene by emergency personnel with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Officials were not confirming reports of the driver’s or passenger’s identity Saturday, instead referring inquiries to the Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau and the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office. Walker owns two businesses in Valencia, Always Evolving and Hybrid Haven. The crash took place near the offices for the two businesses. “All that we know is that there were two fatalities,” said Deputy Alvarez of the Sheriff’s Headquarters Bureau. “The investigation is being handled by the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station’s traffic detail.” |
                                                                          |
|
40, died in Santa Clarita in 2013, when a Porshe Carrera GT driven by his friend and business partner, Roger Rodas, crashed into trees and a utility pole. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department concluded the car was traveling between 80 and 93 mph at the time of the crash.“I hope that our friends in the film and television industry take some of this to heart. Because that security guard that was getting beaten up by this mob of criminals was being beaten up at a tribute to Paul Walker, another criminal who died at 100 miles an hour at a Saturday afternoon in a neighborhood,” City Councilman Paul Krekorian said. “And he died, but thank God he didn’t take out a car full of innocent people, as well, in the process, somebody driving their kid home from a Little League game. And these mobs treat him like he’s some kind of hero. It’s disgusting.
@helle bailey **** you, two people just died and you are worried about the traffic that’s caused by it, and on top of it you’re ******** about your friend stuck in traffic. I hope you’re kids grow up with more respect then you! Unbelievable, you’re the kind of people in this world that make this town a disgrace.
Paul’s family lived next door to my family when he was a little boy. He was about 5 years old when I first saw him and his blue eyes were so beautiful. I was a teenager at the time. His family were really wonderful neighbors and he was a great little kid. I was so shocked when I heard about his death. My heart goes out to Paul and Cheryl…Paul’s parents.
First of all, who has the right to tell any individual, how and where they shall mourn. There is undoubtably people at the scene who shouldnt be there who are disrespecting the area, the families, and the two who were in the car crash. But that should not take away from the fact from the people, friends and families that are there to actually mourn and be at the site where their friends, brothers, cousins, fathers, sons, inspirers, and heros last were. And who has the right to say whos life is worth more than the next? Yes Paul Walker was a celebrity, but he also and most importantly was a human being also. He had family, a daughter and friends. No matter what movies he was or wasnt in… he was a human being just as the rest of us. Just as his friend Roger Rodas was. It was a tragic accident that happened to, two young men, and it affected many people both men came in contact with. It should be left at, its a shame for the being disrespecting the area and the point of the sight, but don’t take the same judgement on the people who are there to appropriately mourn the loss of two human beings that will no longer be with us.
Why is there STILL a helicopter over the area???? People live over here and don’t appreciate it.
You can’t please everyone. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
People make bad decisions everyday. Sometimes it costs them their lives. Two men literally burned to death in this horrific accident, and an 11 year old boy watched his Dad die that way. Teens and adults alike have lost their lives this way in countless tragedies, and unfortunately, history continues to repeat itself no matter how much we educate. Movie stars come into our lives through movie screens and television, people connect with them and they become a part of our lives. Princess Diana died and an entire nation, and most of the world, mourned her passing in the same way. People are grieving. Maybe not the way you would, but in their own way. If the traffic is inconvenient, go another way. Your inconvenience will not be forever…their deaths will.
My prayers go out for both family members that lost very important men in there life’s!
Finally! Some one else is being honored other than the BIG Movie Star. Thqnk You SCVTV for being the only responsible news reporting entity in California!
We all fail to understand that they were driving at a high rate of speed. Should we really glorify this area of the crash because 1 person was a celeb? I mean really. I think what is sad are the parents that are there that are not saying how high speed driving on public roads is dangerous and just plain stupid. Write about that. Or maybe how many teens die out here every year.
exactly…they were going at a high rate of speed and obviously were not thinking about others. It’s amazing they didn’t kill others
Finally a news media who reports on BOTH who lost their lives! Thank you, SCVTV Santa Clarita for acknowledging Paul AND Roger! You are the only news media I’ve seen so far that posts both of their names in the photo captions. Both should be mourned, famous or not. They both were good men who had families, friends and fans whom cared and loved them.
Go home guys. My friend couldn’t even get her children to school cause the place was blocked off… Lame.
Why do you people care how people mourn Jared Gardner your being one of those people your talking about but your doing I to. Fab not at the crash site
I couldn’t agree with you more Jared if you want to place flowers why not wait for the proper time and place like a funeral home or burial site this has become to out of hand and it’s making it dangerous for us who work and drive down that area it’s not safe at all
Not gonna give this circus any more of the attention it thrives on, but I will say this. I’m sure there are a few, very few, who work nearby and we truly affected by these deaths. And obviously friends and family of the deceased. But those that are there to weep for a hunky celeb who starred in cornball movies need to head home and mourn the loss of their own personal dignity instead. And I had to drive around the mass of delusional TMZ following “fans” yesterday, and that’s as close as I’ll get to visiting there. I hope the families involved find peace at this time, but the rest of y’all need to stop treating this like a holiday.
Ok i take back my agree. I agreed with you on those who are not there to pay there respects and that is what i thought you were referring to. There are thousands of people from all over going there to pay their respects to both Men who lost their lives. This is not celebrity worship to those people. It is showing their sadness for young lives lost. The same thing happens all over the U.S. When someone dies in an accident etc. Just because a celebrity was involved do not make it something it is not. Perhaps you should visit there instead of just reading news articles. You would feel the sadness and the emotion of the people there who really do care.
“The scene” shouldn’t exist, that’s my point. It’s rubbernecking, it’s tasteless, and it’s celebrity worship at it’s most morbid. Candles and flowers would be better off at say, a local hospital or senior center.
So you’re saying people in hospitals deserve flowers more than two individuals who died? Celebrity or not, two people died under tragic circumstances. That’s more than enough reason to leave flowers at a “scene.” It’s human emotion, not tragic, not morbid.When was the last time you visited a hospital and randomly left flowers for strangers?
Agree Jared
I think it’s heartbreakingly sad that people stand around a street to gawk, film other “famous”folk that show up, collect pieces of a car wreck, take photos of their children in front of the scene of said wreck, and race around like hyaenas on meth. It’s like a roadside attraction, just missing the popcorn. It’s not paying “homage” or “respect”. And it’s NOT just children. Plenty of adults at the scene.
So the folks leaving flowers and cards and collectables at the scene are not paying homage or respect? It is sad that people don’t respect the scene but you must acknowledge those who do. There’s always someone who doesn’t act “respectfully,” but there are those that do.
Thank you Jared and obviously he is speaking about the ones that are there to one day say that photo was taking at the crash site of Paul Walker. Or this piece of metal came off the car that caused the death of Paul Walker. It is disrespectful to the victims and their families. Regardless if flowers are being brought of not the intentions are all the same. People should not be there so their loved ones and actual friends can grief at the site without their photos being passed around all over the internet.
The type of people who do things like this, for example:
http://laist.com/2013/12/02/fast_furious_fans_doing_high-speed.php
That’s unfortunate, but children will be…children. We’re describing the 99% of people visiting the site responsibly.
Y’all are describing the type of people who go and stand in a street for a “celebrity”…..right?
What are you referring to?
lets hope both of them are donating their organs!
Tragically heartbreaking….
Horribly sad…
Beautiful photo, SCVTV…RIP Paul Walker.
such a tragedy
People stood there last night as the bodies were waiting to be taken away by the coroner with flowers and candles. Wvwn after Wolfs towing left with the car santa Claritas finest still had a chip on their shoulder and wouldnt let people through even though the crime scene tape had been removed. God bless those that were loyal enough to wait there through that bitter cold last night. And may God grant peace to Roger Rodas and Paul Walker and all those they leave behind.
Sometimes we do not understand why the people in the position to protect do what they do. I am sure none of them wanted to have a career where people didn’t like them for trying to do what is best for the community. I am sure many of them loved the movies and loved Paul Walker as an artist like the rest of us. Sometimes trying to keep a little privacy for the families involved takes precedent over fans, no matter how much we loved him in his movies.