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Paul Walker's Dad Files $1.8M Claim Against Crash Driver's Estate

By Daniel Taylor, Esq. on December 31, 2014 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Paul Walker Sr., father of the late actor Paul Walker, has filed a $1.8 million claim against the estate of Roger Rodas, the man who drove the car in which Walker was killed in late 2013.

The claim involves exotic cars that Walker's family claims were either wholly or partially owned by the late actor but have remained in the possession of Rodas' estate, reports Los Angeles' KCBS-TV. Rodas, who was also killed in the crash, was the CEO of Always Evolving, an exotic car shop owned by Walker.

The claim is the latest legal dispute in the wake of the "Fast & Furious" actor's 2013 death.

Walker, Rodas Killed in Single-Car Crash

As you may recall, both Walker and Rodas were killed in 2013 when the 2005 Porsche Carrera driven by Rodas slammed into a utility pole in Santa Clarita, California. The car burst into flames upon impact.

A subsequent investigation of the crash by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and the California Highway Patrol pointed to unsafe speed as the cause. Nevertheless, Rodas' widow Kristine Rodas filed a lawsuit earlier this year against Porsche Cars North America alleging that defects in the car's design caused the deaths of her husband and Walker.

Guardianship Dispute

Walker's parents have also been previously involved in the legal wrangling following Walker's death. Walker's mother Cheryl petitioned to be appointed as the guardian for Walker's 15-year-old daughter, claiming that the girl's mother has "a drinking problem."

In Walker's will, he reportedly named his mother as his daughter's dedicated guardian and put his parents in charge of supervising his multimillion-dollar estate until his daughter turns 18. This has included liquidating his large collection of exotic cars, several of which the family claims are still in the possession of Rodas' estate.

The lawsuit against Rodas' estate seeks "the return of the vehicles at issue and/or creditor's proportionate share of any sales proceeds derived from the sale of such vehicles." But according to KCBS-TV, Rodas' wife has rejected that claim, setting the stage for the legal battle to likely continue well into 2015.

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