Paul Walker Death The Fault Of Porsche Driver, Automaker Claims In Court

Paul Walker died as the result of actions taken by a friend driving a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT, the German automaker argued in court this week.

Porsche is targeted by a lawsuit from the widow of Roger Rodas, the man driving the car when it careened off the road in late 2013, striking a car and killing both him and Paul Walker. Rodas’s widow sued the company’s North American unit, claiming negligence and wrongful death.

“Roger Rodas’s death, and all other injuries or damages claimed, were the result of Roger Rodas’s own comparative fault,” attorneys argued, adding that the driver “chose to conduct himself in a manner so as to expose himself and others to such perils, dangers and risks.”

Porsche’s attorney added that there were defects in the vehicle, which were “abused and altered” in a way the company couldn’t have foreseen.

Paul Walker has been in the news for other reasons this week. His final film, Fast 7, is hitting theaters this Friday and expected to have a record showing.

CNN noted the following.

“‘Furious 7’ — the final film from the late Paul Walker — is expected to gross $115 million or more when opening at the North American box office this weekend, the top showing ever for an April title, not accounting for inflation.

“Domestically, it is getting the widest release in Universal’s history with a theater count of roughly 4,003 (including Imax locations), eclipsing ‘Despicable Me 2’ (3,956). Anything north of 4,000 is usually reserved for summer tentpoles and year-end titles.”

Walker was also turned into a punchline at the recent Comedy Central roast of Justin Bieber, a situation that didn’t sit too well with his friend and co-star Ludacris. The rapper publicly called out Comedy Central, saying the network had vowed it would keep the Paul Walker jokes out of the broadcast of the raunchy roast.

“A lot of people took it [too] far,” Ludacris said in an interview with the Huffington Post. “It did go too far and that’s what happens at some of these roasts… There were some jokes that weren’t appropriate. Like… there were some Paul Walker jokes that I didn’t think were appropriate and I was told and promised that they would edit those out. That’s what I’m saying. Some of those were over the line.”

Police had previously ruled that the crash which killed Paul Walker was caused by excessive speed, not any defect in the vehicle.

[Image via Collider]?