Anton Yelchin’s parents launch wrongful death lawsuit

The parents of Russian-Jewish actor Anton Yelchin are planning to sue Fiat Chrysler and its manufacturer over the wrongful death of their son.

“The safety recall was way too little and way too late”, Dordick said during a press conference on August 2nd, according to Us Weekly. “They should have never used this device”. Yelchin’s death marked the first known fatality linked to the reason for the recall.

“He was our only son”, Viktor said.

In the wrongful-death suit filed Tuesday, Victor and Irina Yelchin claim that the gear selector in Yelchin’s Jeep was defective, leading to Yelchin’s death.

“Every morning, we’re getting text messages or emails from his friends and all around the world saying, “we’re missing him”.

She also proclaimed that while her son had always been special, “now, he is very special, because his death may save other lives”.

The electronic shifter, which has a button to change gears instead of requiring drivers to physically move a lever, could cause drivers to mistakenly believe their vehicle is in park, when it is actually in neutral or drive, the federal safety agency said. “As wonderful as this is to be here with all of you, and to be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Star Trek, there is something wrong tonight”, producer J.J. Abrams said.

FCA did not immediately respond to Ars’ request for comment, but it told The Verge that the company “extends its sympathies to the Yelchin family for their tragic loss” and reminded drivers to consult their owners’ manual and to heed the recall. Fiat Chrysler has said it is speeding up its recall of the vehicle.

Yelchin’s model features an electronic gear shift that doesn’t make it clear to the driver what position the auto is in. The issue also affects the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger for model years 2012-2014.

Separately, TheStreet Ratings rates Fiat Chrysler as a “Hold” with a ratings score of “C”.

He scoffed at the warning letter allegedly sent to Yelchin in May because it did not provide a clear resolution, he said.

YOUNG TALENT: Anton Yelchin as Pavel Chekov in “Star Trek: Into Darkness“.

The vehicle was part of a FCA safety recall that in the US includes more than 800,000 mid-size SUVs and full-size cars with transmission shifters now linked to 68 injuries and 266 crashes.