The Most Disturbing Details From Paul Walker's Autopsy

In the early 2010s, actor Paul Walker's career was just taking off. He'd wrapped up the sixth installment of his breakout role as Brian O'Conner in the "Fast & Furious" franchise. He was modelling for designer brands. He even started his own production company, Laguna Ridge Pictures, in 2012. But, in the midst of filming the seventh "Fast & Furious" movie, Walker was in a major motor vehicle accident that took his life, leaving his co-stars utterly distraught. After his death, the tragic details surrounding the crash and the circumstances that led up to it were revealed, and they were shocking. 

According to the autopsy report obtained by The Los Angeles Times, on November 30, 2013, at approximately 3:30 pm, Walker was riding through Santa Clarita, California in a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT with his buddy, Roger Rodas in the driver's seat. Rodas' speed reached 100 mph on a 45 mph road when he lost control of the vehicle. The car first struck a curb on the driver's side, then hit a tree, then a lamppost. The force of impact spun the car 180 degrees, eventually smashing the passenger side into another tree and bursting into flames. The report described the Porsche being split in half and mostly charred when authorities arrived. Neither Walker nor Rodas survived the crash.

The Los Angeles County Coroner's Office determined Paul Walker's cause of death was the "combined effects of traumatic and thermal injuries." According to the autopsy report, the actor's burns were so severe that they could not identify him immediately. He suffered multiple fractures throughout his body, including his collarbone, jaw, arm, ribs, spine, and pelvis. Soot was also found in Walker's trachea, presumably meaning he had taken a breath in the fire before he died. The toxicology report determined that neither of the men in the car had any alcohol or drugs in their system that would have contributed to the crash.

Walker was hosting a charity event at Roger Rodas' car shop before getting in the car with his friend, per CNN. It was a holiday toy drive for Walker's charity Reach Out WorldWide, a nonprofit dedicated to providing relief to communities who suffer natural disasters. The day was for helping the survivors of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines. Walker's philanthropy has extended past his death and continues to provide a lasting impact on victims of environmental catastrophes. "Paul did not realize the impact that he made on those around him," Walker's brother Cody, who took over the charity, told People. Paul Walker's daughter, Meadow, has also dedicated her time to preserving her dad's legacy through The Paul Walker Foundation, which has focused on protecting marine life through education since opening its doors in 2015.