Anton Yelchin, ‘Star Trek’ Actor, Dead At 27 [Breaking]

Actor Anton Yelchin, known for his role as Chekov in the new Star Trek film series, has died. According to TMZ, Yelchin was the apparent victim of a freak car accident in the early hours of Sunday, June 19, 2016.

According to the Associated Press, the news of Anton Yelchin’s death was confirmed by his publicist, Jennifer Allen.

Yelchin’s friends reportedly discovered the 27-year-old actor’s body when they went to his San Fernando Valley home to check on him after he missed a scheduled rehearsal. It appears that at some point on Saturday, a tragic accident occurred which claimed Yelchin’s life. Yelchin’s body was found pinned between his car and a mailbox. Reportedly, the engine was still running, and the car had been placed in neutral. Law enforcement officers reportedly do not suspect foul play.

Anton Yelchin was born in Russia in 1989, but his parents immigrated to the United States when he was a baby. Yelchin rose to fame with roles in Alpha Dog and Terminator: Salvation, in which he played a young version of Kyle Reese. Yelchin’s most enduring role was his turn as Pavel Chekov in the 2009 Star Trek reboot, a role which he reprised in 2013’s Star Trek Into Darkness and 2016’s Star Trek Beyond.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, Yelchin and the rest of the Star Trek Beyond cast were due to appear at San Diego Comic-Con in July. According to Collider, Yelchin had also recently signed on to voice the lead role of Jim in Guillermo del Toro’s Trollhunters series. Trollhunters, a Dreamworks animation series, was scheduled to debut on Netflix in December, 2016. It is unclear how Anton Yelchin’s death will affect the release of Trollhunters.

Anton Yelton most recently appeared in the critically-acclaimed 2016 horror thriller, Green Room. Yelchin, an only child, is survived by his parents, who have reportedly requested privacy during this difficult time.

[Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images]