Anton Yelchin, the “Star Trek” actor who was killed in a freak accident at age 27 on Sunday, likely didn’t suffer long before he died, a representative for the Los Angeles County coroner’s office told TheWrap on Tuesday.
“Due to his injuries he most likely died within a minute or so,” the representative said.
Yelchin, who played navigator Pavel Chekov in the “Star Trek” reboot films, was fatally pinned between his own car and a brick mailbox at his San Fernando Valley home, police told TheWrap.
Yelchin was en route to meet his friends for a rehearsal when the accident occurred at approximately 1:10 a.m. on Sunday. After he did not show up, friends responded to his residence where they located him deceased, police said.
Yelchin’s reported vehicle, a late-model Jeep grand Cherokee, was subject to a recall 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. The recall was issued in April.
“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 FCA to update software.
In a statement issued Monday, FCA said it would be “premature” to blame the actor’s death on the defect, but said that it is “conducting a thorough investigation” into the incident.
“FCA US extends its deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Mr. Yelchin,” the Detroit-based corporation told TheWrap. “The company will be conducting a thorough investigation of this tragic incident. It is premature to speculate on its cause at this time.”
In addition to the “Star Trek” films, Yelchin’s credits also included 2006’s “Alpha Dog.”