Paul Walker’s death: Parents say taking Porsche part was ‘bad decision’

The parents of an 18-year-old man accused of stealing parts from the Porsche in actor Paul Walker’s fiery crash described his actions as a “teenage bad decision” and said he didn’t realize he was breaking the law.

Jameson Witty, 18, and Anthony Janow, 25, each face one felony count of grand theft of personal property, the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office said. They each also face misdemeanor counts of destroying evidence and resisting, obstructing and delaying a peace officer.

Witty was arrested last week and released from custody after posting $20,000 bail. Janow surrendered to authorities Tuesday at the San Fernando courthouse. He was arrested and released after posting $60,000 bail, sheriff’s officials said.

If convicted of the charges, the men each face a maximum sentence of four years and six months in county jail, prosecutors said.

Authorities allege that on the night of Nov. 30, the pair stole a roof panel from a tow truck carrying the destroyed Porsche Carrera GT away from the Valencia crash site.

In an interview with KTLA, David and Abbi Witty said their son was a huge fan of Walker and planned to make a memorial with the car parts. He did not intend to make money off it, Abbi Witty said.

“I don’t think it’s any debate whether or not he did do it,” David Witty said. “He pretty much confessed that right out of the gate with his Instagram posting.”

He said it was “self-evident” his son didn’t think he was doing anything wrong.

“He did something he shouldn’t have done,” David Witty said. “But at the same time, if you really think about it, what he did was a stupid little kind of teenage bad decision.”

Witty and Janow took the panel after a sheriff’s deputy told them they couldn’t take any vehicle parts, prosecutors alleged.

The tow truck driver -- who had been stopped at a red light when the theft occurred -- reported it to authorities, officials said. Search warrants were served, and investigators found some of the parts at a home in Canyon Country.

A photo posted to an Instagram account for@jamesonwhitty showed what the user claimed to be a piece of the Porsche from the crash: “Piece of Paul walkers car, took it off a tow truck at a stop light…#paulwalker” #rip #comeup.”

A second message posted on the same account offered an apology, in which the car enthusiast said he took the roof to make a memorial out of it.

“Paul was a childhood idol to me and many. At the time I was not thinking about the consequences it could have, I never wanted it to be like this I wasn’t going to sell the piece to make a profit,” the message reads. “Nobody in this world is perfect, we all make mistakes. Some bigger than others.”

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kate.mather@latimes.com

joseph.serna@latimes.com