Jeep owners have filed a class action lawsuit in the wake of Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin’s death, claiming that they have suffered economic loss and have been betrayed by Fiat Chrysler Automotive.
TMZ reports, “The suit claims Fiat Chrysler knew about the defect in the shifting device for at least 2 years but concealed the information, resulting in dozens of injuries and Anton Yelchin’s death.”
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Yelchin recently died in a freak accident this past Saturday when his Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backwards pinning him against a mailbox at his San Fernando Valley home in California. He was headed out for a rehearsal with friends when Yelchin got out of the car for some reason, and while believing it was in park, the Jeep rolled backwards crushing him. The accident occurred around 11 p.m. Saturday night and a friend later found him dead at approximatelyl 1 a.m. Sunday morning. The coroner reported that Yelchin likely did not suffer long, but died as a result of “traumatic asphyxia.”
The vehicle Yelchin was driving was part of a recall issued two years ago. The Jeep had an e-shift transmission that was recalled because the car would roll away when drivers mistakenly thought the car was in park. “The suit targets what it says is ‘one of the most basic safety features in a car’ – the gear shifter,” reports TMZ.
Last month it was reported that nearly 850,000 vehicles were under investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and most of the vehicles being investigated were 2014 and 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees.
The class action lawsuit against Jeep claims, “a variety of damages, including the loss in value of the vehicle as a result of the publicity…clearly referring to Yelchin.”
Also, check out this moving tribute to Anton Yelchin that went viral after his death.
