Officials revealed the cause of “Mythbusters” star Jessi Combs’ fatal jet car crash in a press release obtained by USA Today.
According to an earlier press release posted on Facebook on Aug. 27, the Harney County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a jet car that crashed while attempting to break the land speed record at Alvord Desert.
The crash resulted in the death of Combs and a “jet fuel fire on the desert.”
39-year-old Combs, from Long Beach, California, was pronounced dead at the scene.
In the latest press release obtained by USA Today, officials revealed the cause of the crash.
“Based on the evidence collected and examined at the scene of the crash and the evidence recovered by the North American Race Team it appears that there was a mechanical failure of the front wheel, most likely caused from striking an object on the desert,” the release read. “The front wheel failure led to the front wheel assembly collapsing. The front wheel failure occurred at speeds approaching 550 miles per hour.”
Combs’ cause of death was said to be “blunt force trauma to the head” that occurred before the fire ignited.
Despite her tragic death, Combs’ world record attempt was submitted to the Guinness World Records, Motor1 reported.
The previous record for the woman’s land speed record was 512 mph set by Kitty O’Neill in 1976, Fox News reported.
After two completed runs, Combs achieved speeds of 515 mph and 548 mph—for an average just shy of 532 mph, Motor1 reported.
If the Guinness submission is successful, Combs would be awarded the title of the fastest woman in the world.
‘She Was Truly My Unicorn’
One of her ex-colleagues, former “Mythbusters” host Adam Savage, said he marveled at how Combs was able to navigate in an industry that is often a boy’s club.
“She was a valued colleague on ‘Mythbusters,’ and an excellent science communicator,” Savage said. “We are poorer for her loss.”
Terry Madden, Combs’ boyfriend, said he was making plans to honor the late race car driver.
On Wednesday, he posted on Instagram to express his sadness at losing the woman he loved.
“I have never loved or been loved by anyone as much as this amazing woman @thejessicombs,” Madden wrote in the post, which featured a video with pictures of the couple. “She was truly my unicorn and I enjoyed every single minute that I had with her. She was the most amazing spirit that I have ever or will ever know.”
Combs and Madden were filming a documentary together. Madden still plans to finish it.
He said he was there when her car crashed and that everything “humanly possible” was done to try to save her.
CNN Wire contributed to this report.
