Anton Yelchin's Parents Reach Settlement with Carmaker After Fatal Accident

Star Trek Beyond actor Anton Yelchin’s parents have reached a settlement with the makers of the car that killed him in a tragic accident two years ago.

The confidential settlement was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, according to legal documents obtained by PEOPLE.

“The settlement will go to the Anton Yelchin Foundation and to the filming of a documentary on Anton’s life,” Yelchin’s publicist Jennifer Allen said in a statement to PEOPLE. “The mission of the Foundation is to empower and support young people engaged in creative arts who face career challenges due to debilitating disease or disability.”

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the company that manufactures the Jeep Grand Cherokee that crushed Yelchin to death in his driveway in 2016, confirmed the settlement in a statement.

“FCA US is pleased that we’ve reached an amicable resolution in this matter,” a representative for the auto manufacturer said. “The details of the settlement are confidential. We continue to extend our deepest sympathies to the Yelchin family for their tragic loss.

The Thoroughbreds actor died of accidental blunt traumatic asphyxia after he was pinned between his car and the gate of his home in Studio City, California. Yelchin’s 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backward down the steep driveway. He was 27.

Anton Yelchin in 2015.

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Gary A. Dordick, attorney for the Yelchins, previously said of the accident, “It appears that Anton went back to his house to retrieve something. He left his vehicle and was on his way out at the time, believing his vehicle was in park.”

An April 2016 report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that the gear-shift design made it difficult to tell what gear the vehicle is in, leading Fiat Chrysler to issue a voluntary recall.

In August 2016, Yelchin’s parents announced that they were suing Fiat Chrysler over their son’s death in an emotional press conference.

Later, the California-based Valencia CJD filed a response to the wrongful death lawsuit, claiming that Yelchin’s “misuse” of the car caused his death.

In court documents previously obtained by PEOPLE, the car company alleged that Yelchin’s death was the result of his “misuse, misapplication or damage of the product or modification, repair and/or maintenance of the product involved.”

In October, Yelchin was commemorated by his family and costars in a touching and heartfelt celebration at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery in Los Angeles. Guests included Zoë Saldana, J.J. Abrams, Jon Voight, Jennifer Lawrence, Simon Pegg, Demi Moore and her daughter Rumer Willis.

The actor’s final film, Thoroughbreds, hit theaters earlier this month.

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