Anton Yelchin, “Chekov” in the new Star Trek films, died early Sunday in a car accident in his home in Los Angeles. His car rolled down his Studio City driveway and trapped the actor against a mailbox, according to authorities handling the case.
Yelchin, 27, did not show up for a rehearsal as expected on Sunday morning, so his friends went to his home to find out the reason for his absence and found him trapped and with no visible response.
It is presumed by the authorities that Yelchin’s car rolled backwards down the steep driveway when he got out and pinned him against a brick mailbox and the security gate, L.A. police Officer Jenny Houser told Los Angeles Times.
“Actor Anton Yelchin was killed in a fatal traffic collision early this morning,” his publicist Jennifer Allen told U.S. Weekly. “His family requests you respect their privacy at this time,” she added.
There were no “obvious suspicious circumstances involved,” commented Selena Barros, an investigator with the coroner’s office. The statement suggested that the tragic result could be qualified as an accident, but further investigation is needed to confirm.
“I talked to J.J. Abrams a lot about what he wanted,” Yelchin once told Rotten Tomatoes about taking the Star Trek role, which introduced him to the entertainment world. “His thing was that we are not making something that is supposed to be the old Star Trek.”
Support from the acting community
Many actors and fans showed their surprise and support on social media. Justin Lin, who directed Yelchin in his third Star Trek movie, tweeted that he remained in shock about the incident and that the 27-year-old passion and enthusiasm will live on with everyone that had the pleasure of knowing him.
Yelchin was a Russian-born actor who participated in the Star Trek movie series, including 2009’s “Star Trek”, 2013’s “Star Trek Into Darkness” and this year’s “Star Trek Beyond,” which is set to open on July 22, as reported by Reuters.
Even though he was born in Russia, he came to the United States as a child. His other roles besides the J.J. Abrams films was the 2007 crime thriller “Alpha Dog” and the teen comedy “Charlie Bartlett.”
Source: Los Angeles Times