Dennis RomeroIt would appear that the teenager cops say nabbed a piece of the Paul Walker Porsche — as it was being hauled away from the site of Saturday's deadly crash — posted a photo of just such a part on Instagram. Really.
See also: Paul Walker Porsche Theft Puts Suspect Jameson Witty in Jail.
L.A. County Sheriff's Department officials yesterday arrested 18-year-old Jameson Witty on suspicion of grand theft and tampering with evidence:
Detectives say he was in a vehicle Saturday night that followed the tow truck that was carting away the remains of the exotic Porsche Carrera GT. Walker and friend Roger Rodas were in the rare, race-like roadster when they crashed and died.
The wreckage was being taken to an impound yard to be preserved as evidence in the much-anticipated crash investigation, cops said.
See also: Paul Walker's Last Ride: The Porsche Carrera GT.
But at a red light on Newhall Ranch Road near the Valencia crash site someone got out of a car that was tailing the tow truck and took a piece of the wreckage, one of two removable “t-top” roof pieces, detectives allege.
Credit: Roger Rodas' Porsche Carrera GT via Always Evolving/Facebook.
The tow truck driver reported the theft, they said.
Yesterday about 11:30 a.m. Witty, a Tujunga resident, was arrested as he was trying to leave his home, deputies said.
Another suspect, a 25-year-old suspect who left the state, was in negotiations to surrender as an alleged accomplice, cops indicated. They would not yet identify him.
We reached out to sheriff's Capt. Mike Parker to ask if the Instragram photo is what led them to the teen suspect but we had yet to hear back.
The photo was posted six days ago with this caption:
Piece of Paul Walkers car, took it off a tow truck at a stop light.
The caption points to an apparent friend whose Instagram postings included a photo, since removed, that is captioned this way:
Welp going back to prison for a wile when I get home all over my love for a grate actor and inspiration the system is truly FUCKED.
Credit: Paul Walker via Tim Evanson/Flickr.
The picture was of a skateboarder with ties to the Santa Clarita area who is flipping off the camera. Postings indicate he had gone to Tampa to skate.
Both men's accounts had posted fliers for a Dec. 28 “car meet & cruise” in honor of Walker.
Someone who says the second suspect is a rider for his skate team or company posted a comment on our last story on this case, saying the suspects didn't intend to sell the item:
They [allegedly] took a piece and didn't think of the consequences. Neither one said they were gonna sell it, [the second suspect] told me when he got it, it was gonna be framed and hung on the wall as a memorial to his inspiration and a reminder of what can come from street racing.
Fast and the Furious star Walker died Saturday afternoon after going for a spin in the exotic 2005 car with friend Rodas. They crashed in a solo-car accident in Valencia. The Porsche went up in flames and the two were found dead at the scene.
See also: Paul Walker of 'Fast & Furious' Franchise Dead in High-Speed Crash.
Witty was jailed in lieu of $20,000 bail.
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