Actor Paul Walker and one other person were killed in a vehicle crash Saturday in Valencia, Walker’s representatives said on his social media accounts. The actor’s death was confirmed in a statement issued by Universal Studios.
Walker “passed away in a tragic car accident while attending a charity event for his organization Reach Out Worldwide,” according to a post on the actor’s Facebook page. “He was a passenger in a friend’s car, in which both lost their lives.”
News of the deaths was first reported by the website TMZ.
Walker, 40, was best known for his role in the “Fast and the Furious” movie franchise. Universal, which produced the films, issued a statement Saturday evening.
“All of us at Universal are heartbroken,” the statement said. “Paul was truly one of the most beloved and respected members of our studio family for 14 years, and this loss is devastating to us, to everyone involved with the ‘Fast and Furious’ films, and to countless fans. We send our deepest and most sincere condolences to Paul’s family.”
Sheriff’s deputies responded about 3:30 p.m. to the 28300 block of Rye Canyon Loop (map), where they found a vehicle engulfed in flames, according to a statement issued by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and extinguished the fire, the statement said.
Two victims were located inside the vehicle and were pronounced dead at the scene, the Sheriff’s Department said.
“Speed was a factor in the solo vehicle collision,” the department said in a subsequent statement. “The car was a red 2005 Porsche Carrera GT.”
An investigation into the cause of the collision was underway.