Crushed By His Own Car: Anton Yelchin [1989-2016]
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Yelchin, best known for playing Pavel Chekhov in the three most recent Star Trek films, died after his Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backward and pinned him against the fence outside his home on June 19, 2016. Fiat Chrysler, who manufactured the Jeep Grand Cherokee, had recalled the 2014-2015 Grand Cherokees because of a high number of accidents. It was difficult to determine if the gear shift was actually in park, due to a design defect, and rollaways were common. After the accident, Yelchin’s parents filed a lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler but it was settled out of court.
In addition to starring in Star Trek, Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond, Yelchin was the son of Russian figure skating stars Irina Korina and Victor Yelchin.