This Car Recall May Help Explain Anton Yelchin's Fatal Accident

Anton Yelchin, a promising young actor who's most recognizable for his role in “Star Trek,” was tragically killed in a bizarre accident involving his Jeep Grand Cherokee on Saturday night.

Yelchin didn't show up for a rehearsal on Sunday, so his friends went looking for him. They found him pinned between his car and his mailbox, at the bottom of his driveway. The car was running and in neutral. This could imply the car began to roll down the steep driveway once Yelchin exited it, and Yelchin was struck.

The exact details of the accident are still not entirely clear, but news of the voluntary recall in April of some Jeep Grand Cherokees might provide a hint to what happened.

Apparently, Fiat Chrysler became aware of a “rollaway” risk in some Cherokees manufactured between July 16, 2012 and December 22, 2015 — wherein drivers reported getting hurt when they thought they shifted into park but were actually still in neutral.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration described the problem like this:

The affected vehicles, equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a monostable gear selector, may not adequately warn the driver when driver's door is opened and the vehicle is not in PARK, allowing them to exit the vehicle while the vehicle is still in gear. Drivers thinking that their vehicle's transmission is in the PARK position may be struck by the vehicle and injured if they attempt to get out of the vehicle while the engine is running and the parking brake is not engaged.

These issues seem to fall in line with the report of the accident, but, again, nothing is for sure yet.

News of 27-year-old Anton Yelchin's death came as a horrible shock to his many fans, who turned to social media on Sunday to express their grief over losing such a talented young actor so tragically.

He will be missed.

Citations: Gizmodo