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Walker death: Driver's wife sues Porsche

LOS ANGELES, California - Design defects of a Porsche sports car caused the crash that killed actor Paul Walker and the driver of the car, claims Roger Rodas widow, Kristine.

She filed a lawsuit against Porsche alleging negligence and wrongful death among other claims.

Rodas said in the lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday (May 12) that a suspension failure of the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT led to her late husband losing control of the vehicle before it smashed into trees and a utility pole, killing both occupants in November 2013.

NOT SPEEDING?

Walker's death led to a temporary halt in production of the upcoming 'Fast & Furious 7', the successful movie series about illegal street racing that helped popularise his career.

Rodas' attorney, citing expert inspections of the crash, says in the lawsuit that Roger Rodas, an experienced race car driver, was travelling 89km/h on a street in Santa Clarita, California, at the time of the crash, below the speed Los Angeles County Sheriff investigators said.

Authorities ruled the crash was caused by excessive speed and not a mechanical failure. The investigation found Rodas was travelling at speeds of 129 to 150km/h which caused him to lose control of the car in a 72km/h zone.

The suit asks for unspecified damages from Porsche Cars North America, which is owned by Volkswagen AG. Rodas claims that the car did not have a proper crash cage or adequate safety features in its fuel tank.

Company spokesman Nick Twork said: "We're very sorry for the Rodas and Walker families' loss. The crash was the subject of a detailed investigation of the proper authorities ... and their investigation disproves the allegations in the lawsuit."
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