Class-action lawsuit against Jeep manufacturer triggered by Anton Yelchin death
Complaint claims Fiat Chrysler did little to fix what plantiffs call a 'dangerously defective' shifter design
By Zulekha Nathoo, CBC News Posted: Jun 25, 2016 6:26 PM ET Last Updated: Jun 25, 2016 6:26 PM ET
A proposed class-action lawsuit prominently citing Anton Yelchin's accidental death has been filed against Fiat Chrysler, the manufacturer of the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee that pinned the Star Trek actor in his driveway last week.
The complaint, filed in California on Thursday, claims the company has done little to correct what it calls a "dangerously defective" shifter design in the vehicle.
"There is no tactile or position feedback to the operator as to whether the car has actually been placed into the safe-to-exit 'park' gear," the document reads. "And there is no safety override that automatically puts the car in 'park' if the driver's door is open and pressure is taken off the foot brake."
Yelchin, who starred as Chekov in the Star Trek reboot franchise, died June 19 when he was struck by his own vehicle, which police say appeared to roll back, pinning the 27-year-old actor between a brick pillar and a security fence.
It's not certain what caused the accident, however the 58-page document mentions Yelchin's death several times.
His model of SUV, a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee, was part of a global recall in April after drivers complained they had trouble telling if their automatic transmissions were in park or not.
The filings, which seek to initiate a lawsuit on behalf of at least four plaintiffs, are demanding that Fiat Chrysler repair the gear selectors in affected vehicles and compensate any costs.
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