Star Trek Actor’s Parents File Faulty Jeep Gear Shifter Lawsuit

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The parents of the late Star Trek actor, Anton Yelchin, have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler (FCA), alleging a faulty gear shifter caused the accident that killed their son.

Anton Yelchin, who played Pavel Chekov in the Star Trek trilogy, died June 19 after his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee crushed him in his driveway.

According to police reports, after he got out of his SUV, it rolled backward down a steep driveway at his Studio City home and pinned him against a brick mailbox and security fence.

Irina Yelchina and Victor Yelchin, say that FCA was aware of the defective e-shift gear selector in the Jeep that rolled down their 27-year old son’s driveway and crushed him to death.

According to the lawsuit, the vehicle that killed her son was part of a safety recall the government issued two months ago. In a press conference, the family’s attorney revealed that Yelchin actually received a recall notice for his vehicle a week after he died.

“As a result of the defective design and/or manufacture of the subject vehicle, the subject vehicle did not properly engage and/or maintain the ‘park’ gear position, causing the unmanned subject vehicle to travel down the driveway,” the Yelchin family said in the suit. “Anton Yelchin was crushed and lingered alive for some time, trapped and suffocating until his death.”

According to the 18-page filing, the parents say they have suffered “the loss of Decedent Anton Yelchin’s consortium, love, companionship, guidance, comfort, society, solace, moral support, all to their general damages, in a sum to be proven at time of trial.”

In April, a Chrysler recall was announced for 1.1 million Jeep Grand Cherokee, Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 vehicles due to confusion over the new shifter design, which reports suggest could cause drivers to believe the electronic shifter, which has a button to change gears instead of requiring drivers to physically move a lever, could cause drivers to mistakenly believe their vehicle is in park, when it is actually in neutral or drive.

An investigation by the automaker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) discovered at least 700 complaints about the issue, including 266 accidents, of which 68 involved injuries that may be related to a new design for the vehicle’s gear shifter.

The design appears to confuse drivers, since the shifter returns to the same position after each gear selection.

“Drivers erroneously concluding that their vehicle’s transmission 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,” the NHTSA said in its safety recall report.

Yelchin’s crash is still being investigated, but is believed to be the only fatality related to the issue. His parents’ claims echo those in previous lawsuits against the automaker, where vehicles have crushed drivers who get out thinking the vehicle is in park.

A proposed class action lawsuit was filed in California federal court on June 23 by other Jeep Grand Cherokee owners alleging that the auto maker hid information about the e-shift gear selector design defect that may allow the vehicles to roll away.

The complaint filed by a group of three plaintiffs alleges that the shifter defect was responsible for Yelchin’s death, as well as at least 300 other accidents. The lawsuit lists several vehicles that may have the alleged defective gear shifter including 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees, 2012-2014 Dodge Chargers and 2012-2014 Chrysler 300s.

Fiat Chrysler made a statement that the company “extends its sympathies to the Yelchin family for their tragic loss,” and “urges customers to follow the instructions in their owner’s manuals and the information cards sent with their recall notices.”

The Yelchin family is represented by Gary A. Dordick and Diana S. Diskin of Gary A. Dordick ALC.

The proposed Class is represented by Lee M. Gordon, Steve W. Berman and Thomas E. Loeser of Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP.

The Yelchin Family’s Wrongful Death Lawsuit is Victor Yelchin, et al. v. FCA US LLC, et al., Case No. BC629098, in the Superior Court for the State of California, County of Los Angeles.

The Jeep Defective Gear Shifter Class Action Lawsuit is Deryl Wall, et al. v. FCA USA LCC, Case No. 5:16-cv-01341, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Eastern Division.