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Anton Yelchin's family settle with Fiat Chrysler over wrongful death

Anton Yelchon (Credit: Reuters/Tony Gentile)
Anton Yelchon (Credit: Reuters/Tony Gentile)

The family of actor Anton Yelchin have settled a lawsuit with Fiat Chrysler, the maker of the SUV that killed him in 2016.

Yelchin’s publicist confirmed that the sum will be donated to the Anton Yelchin Foundation.

“The mission of the Foundation is to empower and support young people engaged in creative arts who face career challenges due to debilitating disease or disability,” she said.

Fiat Chrysler, which makes the Jeep Grand Cherokee, did not disclose the details of the settlement, but did make a statement.

“FCA US is pleased that we’ve reached an amicable resolution in this matter,” it said.

“The details of the settlement are confidential. We continue to extend our deepest sympathies to the Yelchin family for their tragic loss.”

Yelchin was killed in 2016 when his SUV rolled down the driveway of his home in Studio City, Los Angeles, and pinned him to a security gate.

He was 27.

“Anton Yelchin was crushed and lingered alive for some time, trapped and suffocating until his death,” the lawsuit stated.

Fiat Chrysler, which initially said that ‘misuse’ of the vehicle had led to his death, had received hundreds of complaints over issues with the gearstick design of the car, which had sometimes caused them to roll away unexpectedly.

It sent a recall notice to 800,000 vehicle owners of 2014 and 2015 models just a month before Yelchin’s death, according to reports.

Yelchin was best known for his role as Chekov in the rebooted Star Trek movie series.

His two final films, Thoroughbred and Rememory, both debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in January.

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