Christopher Laurie, son of well-known evangelist Greg Laurie, died July 24 in a car crash on a Southern California freeway. He was 33.

Christopher Laurie was driving alone “at a high rate of speed” on Riverside Freeway in Corona about 9 a.m. when his 2008 Dodge Magnum hit a California Department of Transportation vehicle, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) said. Laurie was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was injured in the crash, authorities said.

Greg Laurie is pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, Calif., and the founder and featured speaker for Harvest Crusades, a national and international evangelistic outreach. He also has authored several books and is the host of a television program and a nationally syndicated radio program.

Christopher Laurie had been the art director for three years at Harvest Christian Fellowship, which was founded in the 1970s by his father and mother, Cathe.

Greg Laurie took the pulpit of the church on Sunday, calling the day of the crash the “most devastating day of my life.” Sometimes-tearful, he told his congregation that his faith was still strong. At the same time, he said, constant reminders--like driving past the site of the fatal crash on his way to the church--made him feel the loss deeply, the Huntington Beach (Calif.)Independent reported.

In the wake of Christopher's death, the Laurie family has received an outpouring of support. The pastor’s blog contains thousands of comments from around the globe offering condolences, prayers and memories of Christopher.

Greg Laurie said he was deeply touched by the messages, the Los Angeles Times reported. “I'm doing OK," he said. "The Lord is with me. I can't be afraid of suffering. I will continue on with greater commitment. … I have a task to do and I am going to do it.”

The Press-Enterprise of Riverside, Calif., reported that the CHP will conduct an investigation to determine more conclusively why the crash occurred, since it involved a state vehicle.

A private memorial service was held on Friday, Aug. 1. To view an archived broadcast of the service go to harvest.org, the Web site for Harvest Christian Fellowship. A memorial fund has been set up in Christopher’s name, and donations can be made at the church Web site.

Christopher Laurie is survived by his wife, Brittany; daughter, Stella; mother, Cathe; father, Greg; and brother, Jonathan. Brittany Laurie is expecting another child in November.