LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Actor Paul Walker, best known for
his roles in the "Fast and the Furious" action movies, died on
Saturday in a car crash in Southern California, his publicist
said.

Walker, 40, who was in five of the six films about illegal street
racing and heists, was a passenger in a friend's car and was
attending a charity event, according to a message linked to his Twitter account.

"Sadly, I must confirm that Paul did pass away this afternoon
in a car accident," Ame Van Iden, Walker's publicist, said in an
email.


The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a
statement that two people were killed in a car accident in
Valencia, a community in the city of Santa Clarita, at about
3:30 p.m. (6:30 p.m. ET).

Deputies arriving at the scene found the vehicle engulfed in
flames. The victims were pronounced dead at the scene, the
statement said. The office did not provide the identities of the
dead, and said the cause was under investigation.

In the "Fast and Furious" pictures, the blond-haired, blue-eyed
actor played Brian O'Conner, a law enforcement official.

The first movie in the series, which stars Vin Diesel, was
released in 2001, and a seventh was in development at the
time of his death, Universal, the studio behind the franchise,
said in a statement. The most recent film, released in May,
was one of this year's biggest box office hits.

"Brother I will miss you very much," Diesel said in a post on
Instagram, adding "I am absolutely speechless. Heaven has
gained a new Angel. Rest in Peace."

According to the IMDb.com movie website, Paul William
Walker IV was born in Glendale, California, in 1973 and began
acting at a very young age, appearing in many commercials.

He played Professor Bennet in the 1987 movie "Monster in the
Closet" and starred in the television series "Throb," IMDb said.

Walker also made guest appearances on television shows,
including "Charles in Charge" and "Who's the Boss?" and had
a role in the soap opera, "The Young and the Restless."

Other film appearances include "Timeline," "Into the Blue,"
"The Lazarus Project" and "Hours," which is slated for release
in December.

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