The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating late actor Anton Yelchin‘s Jeep Grand Cherokee after it was discovered that the particular model of car might have a design flaw, which could potentially cause the vehicle to roll backwards, even while parked.
Yelchin, 27, was found dead on Sunday after what’s being described as a “freak accident,” when his body was somehow pinned between his Jeep and the gate to his home. Apparently, the driveway leading up to Yelchin’s house is very steep, so the car picked up speed as it reversed. There were no witnesses to the accident.
READ MORE: Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin killed by own car at age 27
In April, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles recalled the vehicle after multiple reports of a possible transmission issue. Yelchin’s car was the same make and model: a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
“We are looking into that,” an LAPD spokesman said to People magazine. “The investigation is still ongoing and the traffic detectives will look at all of those factors as they would in any traffic collision investigation. So, at this time we’re not sure what caused it, but that’s something investigators are looking at.”
According to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Jeep’s gear shift is built in such a way that it can be tough to tell what gear the car is in.
“Drivers erroneously concluding 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,” reads the report.
- Billie Eilish Canada concert dates: ‘Hit Me Hard and Soft’ tour hitting 3 Canadian cities
- Gérard Depardieu in police custody over latest sexual assault allegations
- ‘Dream come true’: 6-year-old Diljit Dosanjh superfan dances onstage with his idol
- Quebec singer and songwriter Jean-Pierre Ferland dies of natural causes at 89
READ MORE: Hollywood reacts to the death of Anton Yelchin
The LA County Medical Examiner’s office concluded that Yelchin’s death is a tragic accident, and it’s believed that Yelchin neglected to put the Jeep firmly in park before he walked behind the car.
The Star Trek actor died of “blunt traumatic asphyxia,” said the LA County Coroner’s office. No official cause of death has been revealed yet, but the coroner said that Yelchin had chest and head injuries.
In a statement from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the company says that it’s working towards enhanced warnings and “transmission-shift strategy” on the vehicles.
Comments