Dennis RomeroWhen Paul Walker died Nov. 30 the news initially struck us as quotidian — as something perhaps best left to entertainment news sites and TMZ.
See also: Paul Walker of 'Fast & Furious' Franchise Dead in High-Speed Crash.
It turned out to be a huge story for L.A. Weekly and the biggest news event of 2013 for L.A. Google searchers.
In fact, Walker's demise in a sports car crash in Santa Clarita …
… made number two on Google's “top 10 global trending searches of 2013.” It was overshadowed only by the death this month of Nelson Mandela.
In Los Angeles the Dodgers' near-Cinderella season made the second spot on Google's 2013 list of top local searches. The boys in blue were followed by Cory Monteith, the actor who died in part from a heroin overdose in Vancouver.
Credit: Jon SooHoo/Dodgers/MLB
Christopher Dorner, the ex-LAPD officer who allegedly went on a killing spree in Southern California, made number four on the local list.
See also: Christopher Dorner Is Dead.
The Boston Marathon bombings resonated way out here on the West Coast, rounding out the list's top 5.
See also: Boston Marathon Explosions Injure Several Runners; Race Called Off.
Here's Google's whole list of “top 10 trending terms in Los Angeles in 2013:”
1. Paul Walker
2. Dodgers
3. Cory Monteith
4. Christopher Dorner
5. Boston Marathon
6. Aaron Hernandez
7. James Gandolfini
8. Government Shutdown
9. Amber Alert
10. Mayweather vs. Canelo
Here's Google's full “global” list of trending searches:
1. Nelson Mandela
2. Paul Walker
3. iPhone 5s
4. Cory Monteith
5. Harlem Shake
6. Boston Marathon
7. Royal Baby
8. Samsung Galaxy s4
9. PlayStation 4
10. North Korea
Send feedback and tips to the author. Follow Dennis Romero on Twitter at @dennisjromero. Follow LA Weekly News on Twitter at @laweeklynews.
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