Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin was killed in a car accident involving recalled SUV

Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin was killed in a car accident involving recalled SUV 

Defective Jeep Grand Cherokee Killed Actor

Anton Yelchin, a 27-year-old Hollywood actor best known for his roles in the recent blockbuster Star Trek films, was sadly slain in a car accident involving his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

After Yelchin failed to appear for a practice, friends went to his home. The actor was discovered wedged against a gate in his driveway. When rescue personnel got on the scene, Yelchin had already died.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) authorities, the problem was that drivers were confused by the configuration of the gear shifter and couldn’t discern if they had previously put the car in “park.” As a result, some drivers exited their automobiles only to discover that the car was still in gear and moving away.

At this point, law enforcement and vehicle safety inspectors have not determined what caused Yelchin’s fatal car collision. Authorities are currently examining the incident to determine how Yelchin ended up crushed while not inside the SUV. The inquiry will look into whether Yelchin’s automobile was in drive or in park when it crushed him.

The coroner’s office in Los Angeles has already stated that Yelchin’s death was an accident. Furthermore, a medical examiner’s autopsy revealed that Yelchin died as a consequence of blunt force asphyxia, most likely when his Jeep Grand Cherokee pinned him against a brick pillar in his driveway. 

In February, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducted an investigation into Fiat Chrysler automobiles after drivers complained of vehicles rolling away while in park. The gearbox shifters in these automobiles appear to work differently from regular shifters. Instead of a gear lever that physically moves from “drive” to “park,” these levers remain in the same position as letters like “D” and “P” light up. As a consequence, several drivers left their vehicles thinking they’d put them in park when they hadn’t, resulting in 41 injuries, 212 collisions, and 308 total incident reports. Just months later, Fiat Chrysler voluntarily recalled 1.1 million vehicles equipped with these gearbox shifters, including 2012-2014 Chrysler 300s, Dodge Chargers, and 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees.

Contact an Auto Defects Lawyer 

Our auto defect attorney has helped many critically wounded clients nationwide recover money for amputations, asphyxiations, burn injuriesbrain traumaspinal cord injurydeath, and other catastrophic disabilities caused by defective SUVs. David P. Willis is board certified as a personal injury trial law specialist. We’ve put in a lot of effort to get the best results for our clients, and we’ll do the same for you and your loved ones. Call us at 713-654-4040 or 1-800-883-9858. 

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