Anton was found dead early in the morning on June 19 at his San Fernando Valley home. And although he was discovered pinned between his Jeep and his security gate, sources connected with the investigation claim that he died within just one minute of being struck, according to TMZ.
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The young actor also suffered severe injuries to his chest and head as the Jeep completely crushed his lungs. SO sad. The cause of death was confirmed as an “accident caused by blunt traumatic asphyxia.” Police say he did not properly put his car in park, and are calling the tragic situation “just one of those freak accidents.”
Anton’s body was discovered after his friends became concerned when he didn’t show up to a rehearsal, TMZ reported. They proceeded to go to his home at around 1 a.m., which is when they found his body trapped between his car and his mailbox, which is attached to his security gate.
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At the time, cops told the publication that Anton’s vehicle was still running, and in neutral, when they found his body. They also revealed that his car appeared to roll down his driveway — as it’s pretty steep — and no foul play was suspected. However, it’s still unknown why Anton got out of his car.
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What we do know though is that the actor’s Jeep model was susceptible to gear shift problems, according to NHTSA documents obtained by TMZ. Anton’s vehicle apparently had an issue with the “e-shift” transmission, and per a recall notice that was issued in May 2016, “Drivers may inadvertently fail to achieve the PARK position before exiting.”
Basically, a driver of that Jeep may mistakenly think his or her car is in PARK, when in reality, the vehicle is in neutral. And now, Anton’s family could be awarded millions as a result of suing the car manufacturer. “Under product liability, consumers who have been injured as a result of car-related defect may have a legal claim to damages,” Los Angeles lawyer Mychal Wilson told HollywoodLife.com EXCLUSIVELY.
Our thoughts are with Anton’s friends and family during this extremely difficult time. HollywoodLifers, leave your condolences below.