Fiat Chrysler has reportedly ordered an investigation after actor Anton Yelchin died when his Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backwards on his driveway, pinning him. The company had recalled 1.1 million units of the model after the problem was linked to around 100 crashes, The Washington Post reported. Several drivers of this model reported putting their car in park mode before their vehicle rolled away. The manufacturers had not yet found a fix to the problem, and only recommended that drivers double check their cars were safely in ‘park’ mode.
Yelchin had apparently not put his car in park mode properly, BBC quoted Los Angeles police as saying. The 27-year-old actor, most well-known for his recent role as Chekov in the new Star Trek series, was found by friends after his car pinned him against a fence. According to the autopsy report, he died of blunt force asphyxia.
Fiat Chrysler expressed its “deepest sympathies” following his death. “The company will be conducting a thorough investigation of this tragic incident. It is premature to speculate on its cause at this time,” it stated.
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