The actor Anton Yelchin’s death has been ruled an accident by the Los Angeles County coroner’s office.
The 27-year-old died this weekend after being pinned against his security gate when his 4×4 rolled down his drive, trapping him.
Coroners have confirmed that the Star Trek star died of ‘blunt traumatic asphyxia’, estimating he would have died in under a minute, The Guardian reports.
According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Fiat Chrysler have now launched an investigation into the model of car that Yelchin drove – the Jeep Grand Cherokee – due to a ‘rollaway risk’.
In a report, the group said:
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.
According to CBS News, over 850,000 vehicles have been involved so far in the investigation.
Star Trek director JJ Abrams led tributes to the fallen actor calling him ‘brilliant … kind … funny as hell, and supremely talented,’ while Justin Timberlake who co-starred in Alpha Dog with Yelchin tweeted he was a ‘genius actor’ and an ‘amazing human being’.
Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.
More of a concept than a journalist, Tom Percival was forged in the bowels of Salford University from which he emerged grasping a Masters in journalism.
Since then his rise has been described by himself as ‘meteoric’ rising to the esteemed rank of Social Editor at UNILAD as well as working at the BBC, Manchester Evening News, and ITV.
He credits his success to three core techniques, name repetition, personality mirroring, and never breaking off a handshake.