Star Trek' actor Anton Yelchin dead in accident

In summary, Anton Yelchin's Jeep was included in Fiat Chrysler's voluntary shifter recall, but his death is not due to a problem with the car.
  • #1
nsaspook
Science Advisor
1,334
3,402
RIP

http://jalopnik.com/anton-yelchins-jeep-was-included-in-rollaway-recall-lin-1782277820
Yelchin, 27, died in an unusual and horrifying incident early Sunday morning when his SUV—a Jeep Grand Cherokee—was left in neutral and apparently rolled down his driveway when he was outside of it, crushing him into a mailbox.

At the time it wasn’t clear whether Yelchin’s car was a 2014 or 2015 Grand Cherokee—the two model years covered by Fiat Chrysler’s voluntary shifter recall. But this morning, LAPD officials confirmed to Jalopnik that Yelchin’s SUV was a 2015 Grand Cherokee, meaning it was among the vehicles covered by Fiat Chrysler’s shifter recall from April.

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/UCM497024/INOA-EA16002-6630.PDF
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Sad, but according to the recall, the problem is with the drivers not paying attention, not placing the car in park, and then also disregarding the warning sound when they open the driver's door, it's not a problem with the car malfunctioning. Personally, I would hate a shifter like that.

So young, what a tragedy.
 
  • #3
Evo said:
Personally, I would hate a shifter like that.

So young, what a tragedy.

I think most people did causing them to go back to a traditional position shifter in 2016. Yes, a tragedy and a unintended consequence of change.
 
  • #4
Very sad and preventible but I'm sure that most everyone has been guilty of getting out of a running car without applying the parking brake. When I saw the slope of the driveway though, I couldn't imagine getting out of the car there without firmly applying the brake first - or turning off the engine and applying the brake.

Ironically, it reminds me of the scene from the first reboot where Sulu forgets to disengage the "parking brake". Better to be embarrassed that to have your vehicle move on its own.
 
  • #5
fceyS32.jpg
 
  • Like
Likes slider142 and Borg
  • #6
Evo said:
Personally, I would hate a shifter like that.
I can imagine that it takes some getting used to. It's like when I had to learn how to drive a scissor lift. It used a joy stick. Push forward to go forward, pull back to go rearwards, push left or right to turn the wheels. However, returning the stick to center did not straighten out the wheels. Push left and the wheels turned left, return to center and the wheels stayed turned left. To straighten the wheels back out, you would have to push right on the stick until the wheels faced straight and then return the stick to center again. Steering it was a series of nudging the stick left and right. (It didn't help that you couldn't even see the wheels unless you leaned over the rail and looked straight down, but if you did that all the time you weren't looking at where you were driving.) You got used to it after a while, but it did take practice.
 

What happened to Anton Yelchin?

Anton Yelchin, a talented actor best known for his role as Chekov in the Star Trek franchise, tragically passed away on June 19, 2016 at the age of 27. He died in a freak accident where his car rolled down his steep driveway and pinned him against a brick mailbox pillar at his home in Los Angeles.

How did Anton Yelchin's death impact the Star Trek community?

The news of Anton Yelchin's sudden death shocked and saddened the Star Trek community. He was a beloved member of the cast and his death was a huge loss for the franchise. Many of his co-stars and fans paid tribute to him and his contributions to the series.

Was Anton Yelchin's death preventable?

The details of the accident are still being investigated, but it appears that it was a tragic and unforeseen accident. It is not yet clear if there were any factors that could have prevented his death.

What were Anton Yelchin's other notable roles?

In addition to his role as Chekov in the Star Trek films, Anton Yelchin had a successful acting career with many notable roles. He starred in films such as "Alpha Dog," "Fright Night," and "Green Room," as well as TV shows like "Huff" and "Trollhunters."

How did the entertainment industry react to Anton Yelchin's death?

The entertainment industry was deeply saddened by Anton Yelchin's death. Many of his fellow actors, directors, and colleagues expressed their condolences and shared memories of working with him. The Star Trek franchise also honored him by dedicating the third film, "Star Trek Beyond," to his memory.

Back
Top