Fiat Chrysler to investigate crash that killed ‘Star Trek’ actor

Anton Yelchin

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said on Monday it would investigate a crash that killed "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin in his recalled 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee according to Reuters.

Yelchin was killed when the SUV rolled away and pinned him against a fence in Los Angeles, police said on Sunday. Fiat Chrysler in April recalled more than 1.1 million cars and SUVs worldwide because vehicles may roll away after drivers exit, an issue linked to 41 injuries, 212 crashes and 308 reports of property damage.

In a May 24 letter to dealers, Fiat Chrysler said it anticipated having the software updates required to fix the vehicles no later than July or August. The company previously had told owners it hoped to come up with a "permanent" remedy by the fourth quarter.

Fiat Chrysler spokesman Eric Mayne said the company would conduct a "thorough investigation" of Yelchin's accident. "It is premature to speculate on its cause at this time," he added.

The company said in April that the recall was linked to 700 incidents because drivers mistakenly believed they had placed the vehicles in park before exiting.

Fiat Chrysler said some drivers might have been confused by the electronic gearshift system, which moves more like a joystick than along a gate path like conventional gear selectors.

The company said in April that it planned to update the vehicles to automatically prevent them from moving, under certain circumstances, even if the driver fails to put the vehicle in park.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which upgraded a probe into the rollaway injuries and complaints

in February, said in April that the shifter was "clearly a safety issue" leading to hundreds of crashes and dozens of injuries.

A NHTSA spokeswoman had no immediate comment on Monday. Reuters