Sadly, Fast and Furious star Paul Walker died from “combined effects of traumatic and thermal injuries.” On a Southern California street Saturday afternoon in Santa Clarita, California, about 30 miles north of Hollywood, Paul Walker was the passenger of the high-performance red Porsche that clipped a light pole and a tree before erupting in flames.
The coroner confirmed what many witnesses told investigators: Rodas was the driver in the crash; Walker was the passenger of the Porsche Carrera GT. The Porsche, which was one of only a few hundred made, was on display at the event, which was held at a high-performance car shop owned by Rodas, reported CNN Entertainment.
According to the coroner’s report, the “Fast & Furious” star Paul Walker may have initially survived a horrific car crash but died moments later of a combination of injuries from the impact and the resulting fire. Paul Walker died from “combined effects of traumatic and thermal injuries,” meaning the initial impact and severe burn injuries.
The New York Daily News reported that the victims were so horribly disfigured that the coroner had to use dental records to identify Walker and Rodas, and to determine which one of them was behind the wheel.
A video obtained by CNN from a security camera posted on a building on the opposite side of the street from the crash suggests that the fire that engulfed the Porsche did not erupt until about a minute after the car had crashed.
The deaths were officially ruled an accident by the coroner. A toxicology report, which could show if drugs or alcohol played a role in the accident, will be available in six to eight weeks, the report said.
While authorities have determined speed was a factor in the deaths and crash, they have not determined the cause of the crash.
The production of Paul Walker’s latest movie — the seventh installment in the “Fast & Furious” franchise — will be shut down “for a period of time,” a studio spokesperson said on Wednesday.
Image Credit: CNN