LOS ANGELES (AP) - Director Tony Scott loved fast cars, riding fast motorcycles and creating some of the most memorable action sequences of the past quarter century. He was even planning a sequel to his hit "Top Gun."

Yet on Sunday, police removed the director's body from Los Angeles Harbor hours after they say he stopped his car on the towering Vincent Thomas Bridge and jumped.

His death stunned friends and fans and left Hollywood buzzing about what could have prompted one of the industry's more successful filmmakers to take an 18-story leap to his death.

An autopsy and notes he left for loved ones will offer investigators clues, but any answers that authorities obtain will not be released for several weeks.

The bridge is a favorite filming location for action directors, although the 68-year-old Scott apparently never used it for one of his films.

The avid rock climber directed more than 15 movies that included such unforgettable sequences as the dog fights of "Top Gun" and the raw power of a runaway train in "Unstoppable.