Jeep That Killed Yelchin Had Recall For Shifting Into Reverse

Update: 6/20: The Jeep vehicle that lurched down a driveway and killed "Star Trek" actor Anton Yelchin had recently been recalled after federal regulators found that its gear shifting could confuse drivers and possibly cause vehicles to roll away, reports the LA Times.

The recall, issued May 23, 2016 specifically because the vehicle's automatic transmission, may suddenly shift from Park to Reverse. It is unknown whether this happened to Yelchin after he left his vehicle to open his gate, but certainly that explanation makes sense.

Anton Yelchin, a charismatic rising star best known for playing Chekov in the rebooted Star Trek films, has died at the age of 27. He was killed in a fatal traffic accident early on Sunday morning, his publicist, Jennifer Allen confirmed.

Yelchin died in a freak accident in his own driveway. He apparently got out of his sports car for some reason at around 1:10 a.m. in Studio City, and didn't set the break properly. The car rolled down his driveway trapping the actor between the back of the vehicle, A security fence, and a brick pillar.

According to reports, Yelchin's friends alerted police when he failed to turn up to a rehearsal scheduled to start some hours earlier. They then discovered the actor in his driveway at around 3 am. No other vehicles are thought to have been involved.

Yelchin's career began with roles in indie films and assorted television shows, before breaking out in films like the crime thriller Alpha Dog and Sundance winner Like Crazy. His biggest mainstream role to date has been in the rebooted Star Trek films the third of which, Star Trek Beyond comes out in July. He won much acclaim for his role in ensemble horror Green Room, out earlier in this year.

Yelchin, an only child, was born in Russia. His parents were professional figure skaters who moved the family to the United States when Yelchin was a baby. Yelchin's family has requested privacy at this time.