Actor Anton Yelchin’s parents reach settlement with car maker over fatal accident
Published March 25, 2018
Anton Yelchin arriving to a screening of Dreamworks Pictures’ “Fright Night” in Hollywood, California, August 17, 2011. (Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)
(JTA) — The parents of actor Anton Yelchin reached a confidential settlement with the makers of the car that crushed him to death in his driveway two years ago.
The confidential settlement was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court late last week, People Magazine first reported. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the company that manufactures the Jeep Grand Cherokee, confirmed the settlement in a statement.
“The settlement will go to the Anton Yelchin Foundation and to the filming of a documentary on Anton’s life,” Yelchin’s publicist Jennifer Allen said in a statement to People. The foundation assists young people in the arts who face career challenges due to debilitating disease or disability.
Yelchin, 27, who starred in the rebooted “Star Trek” movies, was found dead at his home in Studio City, California, on June 19, 2016 after being crushed by his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Friends found Yelchin pinned between his car and a brick pillar; the vehicle was in neutral and running. Yelchin was presumed to have returned to his house to get something, which is why he was outside of the car while it was running.
The Jeep was part of a global recall of 1.1 million vehicles announced by Fiat Chrysler in April 2016. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urged the recall because of complaints from drivers that a problem with the gear shift made it difficult to tell whether the car was in park. When not in park, the vehicle could roll away. A class action lawsuit was filed in that case.
Yelchin starred as Chekov in the 2009 and 2013 “Star Trek” movies, and is seen in the third film in the series, “Star Trek Beyond,” which was released last month. He also appeared in films including “Like Crazy,” “Alpha Dog,” “Terminator Salvation” and “Fright Night.” His final film, “Thoroughbreds,” began playing in theaters earlier this month.
Yelchin, a native of St. Petersburg, immigrated to the United States with his family as an infant. He was the son of two figure skaters, Irina Korina and Viktor Yelchin, who reportedly were persecuted for being Jewish.
