The parents of Anton Yelchin, a Russian-born actor known for his role in Star Trek films, said on March 22 they reached a settlement with the makers of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV that crushed and killed their son in 2016.
The confidential settlement between Fiat Chrysler and Victor and Irina Yelchin, who themselves were celebrated Russian figure skaters, was filed this week in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Fiat Chrysler said in a statement that it is "pleased that we've reached an amicable resolution in this matter" and it "extends our deepest sympathies to the Yelchin family for their tragic loss."
The actor was killed at age 27 when his 2015 Cherokee rolled backward down the driveway of his Los Angeles home, pinning him between a mailbox and a security fence.
"Anton Yelchin was crushed and lingered alive for some time, trapped and suffocating until his death," the lawsuit stated.
The Cherokee model was among 1.1 million vehicles recalled about two months earlier when regulators said its gear shifters were confusing drivers, causing the SUVs to roll away unexpectedly and leading to dozens of injuries.
The Yelchins' lawsuit alleged those gear selectors were the cause of the actor's death.
"In spite of our unbelievable grief, we decided to come here to prevent other families from the same tragedy," Victor Yelchin said.
An attorney for the Yelchins said some of the settlement will be used to fund the Anton Yelchin Foundation for sick and disabled young people in the arts. The money will also help fund a documentary about Yelchin's life, the attorney said
Anton Yelchin had dozens of film and television credits that included voices for the "Smurfs" movies and the Netflix TV show "Trollhunters."
But he is best known for playing the starship navigator Pavel Chekov in the rebooted "Star Trek" movie franchise.