The family of Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin have reached a settlement with Fiat Cherokee after one of their SUV models, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, crushed their son in his driveway in a freak accident nearly two years ago.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the confidential settlement was filed Thursday at a Los Angeles Superior Court. Fiat Chrysler released a statement saying it was pleased the two parties reached an amicable resolution while continuing to extend its condolences.
Videos by PopCulture.com
On July 18, 2016, Yelchin’s body was found pinned between his Jeep and a brick pillar outside his house. Authorities ruled the death as a “freak accident,” as Yelchin exited his car while in his driveway (which sat on a steep incline), only to be pinned between the pillar and a security fence when the car rolled back. He was just 27-years-old.
Yelchin’s parents filed a lawsuit against the car manufacturer pack in August for “the wrongful death of their son due to significant defects” in the car.
“FCA US extends its most sincere condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Yelchin,” Fiat Chrysler said in a statement at the time. “The Company is in contact with the authorities and is conducting a thorough investigation. It is premature to speculate on the cause of this tragedy.”
Also included in the lawsuit was the Valencia, California Chrysler dealership that sold Yelchin the car. The dealership wrote a scathing response to the lawsuit in October, saying the actor’s death with the result of his own “misuse, misapplication or damage” of the vehicle. It then went on to give a list of reasons why Yelchin could potentially be at fault, hinting at things like aftermarket changes and that Yelchin’s parents potentially did not properly maintain the car following the accident.
Yelchin was born in what is now Saint Petersburg, Russia on March 11, 1989. His family moved to the United States in September of the same year as political refugees.
Yelchin began his acting career in 2000, starring in the film A Man Is Mostly Water and appearing on the television shows E.R. and Geppetto. His filmography went on to include films such as Alpha Dog, Charlie Bartlett and Terminator Salvation before launching his career to new heights with his role as Pavel Chekov in the rebooted Star Trek film franchise.
Yelchin has had five posthumous film releases, including one last performance as Chekov in 2016’s Star Trek Beyond.
