Autopsy results for “Fast & Furious” actor Paul Walker could be released as early as Tuesday as medical examiners wait on dental records to identify the actor’s body, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Coroner said on Monday.
Walker, 40, who became a symbol of street-racing and car culture in his roles in the “Fast & Furious” franchise, was a passenger in a fiery one-car crash on Saturday in Santa Clarita, California, about 30 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
“We’re waiting for dental records,” Los Angeles County Coroner spokesman Edward Winter said. “The bodies are unidentifiable.”
Media reports identified the driver of the red 2005 Porsche Carrera GT that crashed into a utility pole and burst into flames as Roger Rodas, 38, a friend of Walker’s who owned Always Evolving, an auto dealership and racing services company in Santa Clarita.
“Evidently both individuals were seen getting into the vehicle minutes before the crash,” Winter said.
Walker and Rodas were both drivers for the Always Evolving racing team.
Sheriff Deputy Aura Sierra said the investigation into the crash, in which the department earlier said that speed played a role, should take two more days.
Walker, who played supporting roles in 1998’s “Pleasantville” and 1999’s “Varsity Blues,” was in five of the six “Fast & Furious” films about illegal street racing, heists and organized crime, portraying law enforcement officer Brian O’Conner.
Production of “Fast & Furious 7,” which began filming in September, has been delayed but will not be scrapped, industry trade publication the Hollywood Reporter said, citing sources.
The publication reported that Comcast Corp-owned Universal Pictures, the big-budget film’s studio, and “Fast 7” director James Wan spoke on Sunday about how to continue with the film following Walker’s death.
The “Fast & Furious” franchise, which stars Vin Diesel, has grossed more than $2 billion at the global box office since its first film was released in 2001.
Walker stars in the Hurricane Katrina survival drama “Hours,” which will be released on Dec. 13, and also the crime drama “Brick Mansions,” which is in post-production and will be released next year.
