Anton Yelchin’s Jeep Grand Cherokee May Have Been Part of ‘Rollaway’ Recall

Actor’s body was found pinned between his own car and a brick mailbox at his San Fernando Valley home

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The vehicle that appears to have pinned and killed 27-year-old actor Anton Yelchin on Sunday may have been part of a “rollaway” recall.

The young man’s lifeless body was found stuck between his own car and a brick mailbox at his San Fernando Valley home, police told TheWrap. Yelchin’s vehicle reportedly was a late-model Jeep Grand Cherokee.

This past April, certain 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees were recalled by manufacturer Fiat Chrysler Automotive (FCA), following a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) study that investigated 14 complaints of “rollaway” after intended transmission shifts to the “Park” gear.

“Drivers erroneously concluding that their vehicle’s transmission is in the PARK position may be struck by the vehicle and injured if they attempt to get out of the vehicle while the engine is running and the parking brake is not engaged,” the NHTSA concluded, calling for a voluntary recall for FSA to update software.

As of April 12, 2016, FCA US had identified approximately 700 field reports potentially related to the issue, which included 212 crashes, 308 claims of property damage and 41 injuries, the company offered in its own report.

“The vehicles involved in these events were inspected and no evidence of equipment failure was found,” FCA said at the time.

Still, the Detroit-based automotive manufacturer voluntarily recalled an estimated 811,586 mid-size SUVs and full-size cars in the U.S., “to reduce the effect of potential driver error by enhancing warnings and transmission shift strategy.”

Yelchin was known for his roles in the “Star Trek” reboots and “Alpha Dog.”

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