Porsche Claims Driver in Crash is Responsible for Paul Walker’s Death

Apr 03, 2015 01:00 PM EDT | John Nassivera

The driver involved in Paul Walker's death in a car crash is responsible for the actor losing his life, lawyers for Porsche are claiming.

The "Fast & Furious" star died at the age of 40 in November 2013 after Roger Rodas lost control of a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT sports car, which led to the vehicle crashing into trees and utility pole in Santa Clarita, Calif., according to Reuters. Rodas also lost his life in the crash.

Lawyers for the German automaker put the blame on Rodas on Monday in response to a judge dismissing some of the plaintiff's claims in a ruling in the case in February. The judge said at the time that Porsche must face claims about a flaw in the car's design.

The flaw, according to the lawsuit, was determined to be a suspension failure in the right rear wheel area of the Carrera GT, which resulted in the car's rear end swinging to the left and the vehicle losing control, NBC News reported. The lawsuit also claims that a crash cage, racing fuel cell and other safety features should have been added to the vehicle since the Carrera GT was initially designed to be a race car.

"Roger Rodas's death, and all other injuries or damages claimed, were the result of Roger Rodas's own comparative fault," the lawyers said, adding that he "chose to conduct himself in a manner so as to expose himself and others to such perils, dangers and risks."

Porsche's attorneys said the Carrera GT was without defects, and that they believe the car was "abused and altered," which could have been a cause of the crash, Reuters reported.

Kristine Rodas, the widow of Roger Rodas, sued Porsche Cars North America, seeking unspecified damages and alleging that the car experienced a suspension failure. Investigators ruled excessive speed as the cause of the accident. 

A portion of this story was originally published on HNGN.com.

See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?

© 2024 Auto World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
Get the Most Popular Autoworld Stories in a Weekly Newsletter

Join the Conversation

Real Time Analytics