The Real Reason for Paul Walker's Death

(Image credit: Marie Claire)

published 5 December 2013

The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office revealed on Wednesday that Paul Walker, 40, died of the combined effects of traumatic and thermal injuries, according to CNN.

It was concluded that Walker was not driving the Porsche Carrera GT, but rather that his friend, Roger Rodas, was behind the wheel and died of multiple traumatic injuries. Both deaths were ruled accidents, however the men were so badly burned that they had to be identified by their dental records.

CNN reported, "Authorities say speed was a factor in the crash. Still, Walker and Rodas were both experienced drivers, leading many to question whether something went wrong with the vehicle." The Porsche Carrera GT has three times the horsepower of the average car and costs $450,000 when purchased new.

Walker is survived by his 15-year-old daughter, Meadow, and tons of family, friends, and fans whom have since showed their love and support. In fact, the Fast & Furious team has released this tearjerker tribute. Watch Walker in all his insanely handsome, rugged glory below. We'll miss him.

Michelle Obama Handles Possible White House Catastrophe Like a Boss

Katy Perry Gets Major Honor

A New Kind of Threesome

Follow Hallie Gould on Twitter.

Hallie has worked in beauty editorial for ten years and has been editorial director at Byrdie since 2021. Previously, she was a senior editor at Byrdie since 2016. During her time at Byrdie, she's written hundreds of high-performing stories on skincare, wellness (including fitness, diet, mental health, body image, et al) makeup, and hair. She's a regular on set, helping to source inspiration for makeup and hair looks, as well as interviewing celebrities, models, and other notable women and men in the beauty space.

Before that, Hallie ran Marie Claire's social media and wrote beauty and culture stories for the site, and helped launch Time Inc.'s digital-only beauty brand, MIMI. After college, she contributed to Time Out New York’s Shopping & Style section before landing her first beauty editor gig at Hearst's Real Beauty. Hallie's writing has also appeared in ELLE, Cosmopolitan, and InStyle. Hallie graduated with a BA in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Stay In The Know