Star Trek, Charlie Bartlett star Anton Yelchin killed by own car at 27

Anton Yelchin is best known as Chekov in the latest Star Trek franchise
Anton Yelchin is best known as Chekov in the latest Star Trek franchise

The Russian-born actor Anton Yelchin, whose career-launching performance opposite Robert Downey Jr in Charlie Bartlett secured him a role in one of the highest grossing Hollywood franchises, JJ Abrams’ Star Trek reboot, has died in a car accident outside his home.

Los Angeles police say the twenty seven year old, whose family moved to the US when he was a baby, was crushed by his own car as it rolled down his driveway, trapping him against a brick post box and a security fence. He’d just left the car when it rolled back.

The actor had been about to head to a rehearsal with friends. When he failed to turn up, they went to his home and found him dead in the driveway.

The star’s other major roles included playing Kyle Reese in Terminator Salvation, Mel Gibson’s son in The Beaver and well as playing alongside British actress Felicity Jones in the highly acclaimed drama Like Crazy.

Among the many tributes from Hollywood and beyond, John Cho, who starred as Sulu alongside Yelchin’s Chekov in Star Trek, said he was “in ruins.”