Lawsuit Against Chrysler Over Jeep Defect Linked To Anton Yelchin's Death

A class action lawsuit has been launched against Fiat Chrysler, the makers of the Jeep Grand Cherokee, accusing it of hiding safety defects which have resulted in so-called ‘rollaway’ accidents.

The 27-year-old 'Star Trek’ actor Anton Yelchin was crushed to death last weekend, after being pinned to a brick wall and a fence by his Jeep when it rolled down the driveway at his home.

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The complaint has been filed in Riverside, California, near Los Angeles, and alleges that the company has tried to cover up accidents and has not been quick enough to implement a solution to the safety issues.

Los Angeles police detectives have as yet been unable to confirm whether the safety issue on Yelchin’s 2015 Grand Cherokee was directly to blame for his death, but 1.1 million vehicles were recalled in April this year over fears that they can roll away after drivers have exited.

According to Fiat Chrysler, there have been 700 incidents linked to the safety issue over all, including 41 injuries, 212 crashes and 308 instances of property damage.

The company has announced that software updates for the 1.1 million recalled vehicles will be available by the end of the month.

Yelchin was found at his home in Los Angeles in the early hours of Sunday morning, after friends had become concerned that he had not turned up for a planned rehearsal.

The movie world has paid tribute to the Russian-born actor, his co-star John Cho saying that the news had left him 'in ruins’.

Image credit: AP/Fiat Chrysler