Paul Walker’s daughter sues Porsche over crash that killed him

Also: Van Buuren tops celeb online danger list; and 007 ‘sets record’ for blowing up cars.

Paul Walker. AP

The daughter of late actor Paul Walker, who died in the fiery crash of a Porsche sports car in California two years ago, filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against the car company in Los Angeles on Monday, court records show.

Meadow Walker claimed in the complaint that the automaker skimped on safety features for the vehicle, which could have either prevented the crash entirely or at least kept Walker alive.

Paul Walker was a passenger in the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT driven by Roger Rodas, who lost control of the vehicle before it careened into trees and a utility pole in Santa Clarita, northwest of Los Angeles, killing both men in November 2013.

The suit said Porsche AG knew the car model had a “history of instability and control issues” and added that the seat belts were designed such that in a crash, the shoulder belt anchor would be pulled along with the rear engine compartment while the seat anchor would remain in place.

“This snapped Walker’s torso back with thousands of pounds of force, thereby breaking his ribs and pelvis, flattening his seat and trapping him in a supine position, where he remained alive until the vehicle erupted into flames one minute and twenty seconds later,” the filing said.

“Absent these defects in the Porsche Carrera GT, Paul Walker would be alive today,” the complaint added, citing the seat belt design and other issues.

Porsche could not be immediately reached for comment on Monday. But lawyers for the German car company said in April that Rodas was to blame for the crash following a lawsuit filed by his widow against the company’s North American unit last year.

Lawyers for the company had then denied that the car had any defects.

Walker’s death at the age of 40 led to a temporary halt in production of “Fast & Furious 7”, the latest movie in the successful series about illegal street racing that helped popularise his career.

The Los Angeles Times has reported that the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and California Highway Patrol found that unsafe speeds were to blame for the crash, not mechanical problems. The newspaper said investigators made the determination after consulting with technicians from Porsche. - Reuters

Van Buuren tops celeb online ­danger list

If you’re planning to look up Usher, Luke Bryan or producer Armin van Buuren on the web, take heed. US Intel Security announced yesterday that the musicians top its annual list of most dangerous celebrities online. Searches can land users on websites that carry viruses or malware. Searches for Dutch trance DJ van Buuren carried the highest risk: almost 18 per cent. Bryan, Usher, Britney Spears and Jay Z round out the top five. A Katy Perry search carries almost a 15 per cent chance of connecting with a risky site. Also on this year’s list were Amy Schumer, Nina Dobrev, Lorde and Betty White. – AP

007 ‘sets record’ for blowing up cars

Director Sam Mendes says the team behind upcoming Bond movie Spectre destroyed Dh134 million worth of Aston Martin DB10 sports cars while making the film. “We set the record for smashing up cars on Spectre. In Rome, we wrecked millions of pounds worth,” chief stunt co-ordinator Gary Powell told Event magazine. During the filming of a chase scene in Italy, seven specially designed Aston Martin DB10 sports cars were destroyed, according to aceshowbiz.com. The magazine said the chase takes place through the Vatican, the Colosseum and along the River Tiber. The well-timed hype came as actor Hugh Jackman revealed he is keen to take over the role of 007. “I don’t think there’s an actor on the planet who wouldn’t at least say: ‘Oh, let me have a think about that,’” Jackman told eonline.com. The Australian actor has previously said he was once offered the role, but passed because he was about to star as Wolverine in X-Men 2. – IANS