The parents of Star Trek actor Anton Yelchin have announced they will be suing Fiat Chrysler for the ‘wrongful death’ of their 27-year-old son, who was killed in June when his Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled down the driveway at his home and pinned him against a security gate.
Victor and Irina Yelchin were visibly emotional as they announced their plans to sue Fiat Chrysler, manufacturer ZF North America and car retailer AutoNation, according to TMZ.
“Anton was our only son and was a remarkable human being. It’s against nature when a parent has to bury their own child,” Victor said at the conference, his voice breaking as he addressed the crowd.
Anton’s parents are seeking punitive damages for the “wrongful death” of their son.
He explained that he and his wife Irina had come to the press conference in spite of their “unbelievable grief”, in order to spare other families from suffering the same fate.
Irina echoed his words when she spoke herself, through floods of tears.
“[Anton] was very special, but now he’s very special because his death might … save some other lives,” she said.
The Yelchins are seeking punitive damages for Anton’s death, which they allege was caused by “significant defects” in the Jeep model he was driving, according to TMZ.
The couple were visibly distressed as they spoke about their only child and his tragic passing at the press conference.
Fiat Chrysler voluntarily recalled more than 1.1 millions cars and SUVs in April – including the model Anton drove – because of an issue with the electronic gear-shift that made it difficult for drivers to tell which gear the vehicle was in.
According to the family’s lawyer, a recall notice for the vehicle was mailed to Anton’s home seven days after his death.
Just four days after his tragic passing, Jeep owners affected by the recall filed a class action lawsuit against Fiat Chrysler in California.
Anton – with his Star Trek co-stars – rose to fame playing Pavel Chekov in the rebooted film franchise.
Anton and his parents pictured attending the premiere of his film Alpha Dog in 2007.
In a statement following the Yelchins’ press conference, Fiat Chrysler said they had yet to be served the lawsuit but their sympathies were with the family.
“FCA US LLC extends its sympathies to the Yelchin family for their tragic loss,” the company said.
“FCA US urges customers to follow the instructions in their owners manuals and the information cards sent with their recall notices. These instructions include advising customers to set the parking brakes in their vehicles before exiting.”
Anton Yelchin talks about having big shoes to fill with his Star Trek role in the video below.
