Police in the US city where ‘Fast and Furious’ star Paul Walker died warned fans Monday against “burning rubber” near the spot where he was killed, as they probed the fatal car crash.
They issued the caution after reports of people pulling stunt maneuvres on the stretch of road in Santa Clarita, northwest of Los Angeles, where Walker died in a fiery smash on Saturday.
A makeshift shrine has sprung up at the place where Walker was killed when the red Porsche sports car he was travelling in slammed into a tree and caught fire.
Speed is believed to have been a factor in the accident, although investigators are also probing the burnt-out wreckage for evidence of any mechanical problems.
At least one witness has suggested that 40-year-old Walker and a 38-year-old friend, Roger Rodas, may have been drag-style racing at the time, according to CNN, although others have discounted such accounts.
But some fans of the blockbuster franchise have apparently been paying tribute by pulling hotrod stunts on the four-lane stretch of road where the accident occurred.
One maneuvre reported was drifting, an illegal technique in which the driver intentionally oversteers, causing the rear wheels to skid and making the car slide from side to side.
“We sent deputies to the accident location this morning after we started getting reports of drivers burning rubber and spinning tires at the site,” said Santa Clarita sheriff's office spokesperson Richard Cohen.
“So far I haven't had any reports of any drivers being cited or arrested... But we have deputies there to stop that behaviour if it happens again.”
Meanwhile, Paul's sister has hit out at rumours he was drag racing when he died.
Ashlie Walker, 37, told the MailOnline: "They were absolutely not racing, that's a complete lie. It hurts us when we hear these lies and it makes our grief worse and more painful.
"These are irresponsible allegations and people are trying to make out speed and racing was the reason for his death when it was just a terrible accident."
The area where Paul and Roger - who was driving - crashed was known as a popular spot for drag racing, and a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's office has said authorities received a phone call on Sunday (01.12.13) suggesting another car was involved when the 2005 Porsche Carrera GT crashed.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff's Station traffic investigators have now ruled out the involvement of a second vehicle. However, it does appear Paul and Roger were breaking the 45 miles per hour speed limit of the road.
A source told website RadarOnline: "Though the investigation is in its early stages, investigators from the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department believe the Porsche was going over 100 miles per hour."
The first ‘Fast and Furious’ movie appeared in 2001. The franchise, with its focus on fast cars, tough guys, sexy starlets and exotic locales, is one of Hollywood's most lucrative global franchises.
Before his ‘Fast and Furious’ breakthrough Walker was in several 1980s TV shows. He became a teen heartthrob, appearing in such movies as ‘Pleasantville’ (1988), ‘She's All That’ and ‘Varsity Blues’ (both 1999). - Sapa-AFP and Bang Showbiz