Not long ago, people in Los Angeles and across the country were devastated by the sudden death of actor Paul Walker. The 40-year-old was riding in a car being driven by his friend Roger Rodas when the car crashed, killing both men.
We discussed this tragic event in a blog post not long after it happened, but details providing a more comprehensive look into what went wrong and what caused the catastrophic crash were recently released. This new information could give people a better idea of all the different factors that may be investigated after a motor vehicle accident. It may also remind us that crashes can happen in a split second and can be caused by one dangerous decision.
Investigators for the California Highway Patrol and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department recently announced that after thorough examination, they have concluded that excessive speed played a significant role in the fatal crash. Rodas, who had experience driving fast cars, was apparently driving the Porsche at about 90 mph when he lost control and crashed the vehicle. Both he and Walker were killed in the accident.
However, there were a number of other factors examined by investigators. They looked for clues on the scene and in the car that would help them figure out what went wrong. But after exploring options that debris or an automotive defect caused the crash, they ruled these possibilities out.
A thorough investigation is often crucial in helping victims of car accidents and their families get the answers they need. By examining skid marks, cellphone records, speedometers, impact patterns and other potential clues, investigators can put pieces of the puzzle together in order to determine who or what was at fault. This information can be very important, especially for those who are considering taking legal action after a crash.
Source: The Huffington Post, “Speed To Blame For Paul Walker’s Tragic Car Crash,” Justin Pritchard, March 25, 2014