- Social media video shows crash that killed Call of Duty creator.
- Vince Zampella died when his Ferrari hit a wall at high speed.
- Passenger survived the crash but later died in the hospital.
The video game world lost one of its most influential architects this weekend when the man who gave us Call of Duty was killed in a horrific single car crash captured on camera.
Video uploaded to social media shows a red Ferrari 296 GTS reportedly being driven by Vince Zampella firing out of a tunnel on the Angeles Crest Highway in California, before smashing into a concrete wall at the side of the road.
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Zampella died at the scene, and although his passenger survived the smash, they were later pronounced dead in hospital, NBC4 reports.
Angeles Crest is like a magnet for gearheads. It’s scenic and fast, but can be brutally unforgiving when things go sideways. Locals familiar with the route say the tunnel involved in the crash is popular with drivers and bikers because it massively amplifies exhaust noise, encouraging you to keep the throttle wide open as long as possible.
Tighter than it looks
But according to people who know the stretch well, the left hander after that tunnel is deceptively sharp, and the true radius reveals itself far too late. In the video uploaded to social media you can already hear the Ferrari’s tires screeching before it’s even come out into the light, presumably as the awful reality of the situation suddenly dawns on Zampella.
And with 819 hp (830 PS) going exclusively to the rear wheels, the 296 GTS is a car you can easily get carried away with.
Warning: The following video contains graphic content that some viewers may find disturbing.
Footage shows bystanders dragging one body away from wreck – apparently still strapped to a seat – as flames can be seen rising from the Ferrari. News reports say the passenger was ejected, but 55-year-old Zampella was trapped in the burning car.
Though best known for his work on the phenomenally successful Call of Duty franchise, which debuted in 2003, Zampella had a hand in multiple other big-name gaming titles including Titanfall, Apex Legends, the Star Wars Jedi series and Battlefield.
