Apparatus and method for preventing movement of release mechanism of a vehicle latch

A latch, comprising:

• a forkbolt configured to rotate between an unlatched position and a latched position, wherein the forkbolt has a forkbolt protrusion;
• a gear rotatably mounted about a shaft;
• a bellcrank lever pivotally mounted to the latch and operably coupled to the fork bolt via a detent lever, wherein rotational movement of the gear causes pivotal movement of the bellcrank lever and the pivotal movement of the bellcrank lever causes pivotal movement of the detent lever, the bellcrank lever having an engagement ledge located adjacent a slot of the bellcrank lever, wherein the engagement ledge prevents rotational movement of the gear when the forkbolt is in the unlatched position, and wherein the engagement ledge does not prevent rotational movement of the gear when the forkbolt is in the latched position and the shaft is received within the slot;
• a power release mechanism configured to selectively apply a force to a portion of the bellcrank lever via the gear in order to move the detent lever;
• and
• wherein when the fork bolt is in an unlatched position, the fork bolt protrusion rotates the detent lever and the bellcrank lever to an overtravel position such that the engagement ledge prevents movement of the gear by contacting a protrusion of the gear.