Did Anton Yelchin Die?

Anton Yelchin, Anton Yelchin alive or dead, Star Trek Beyond

Anton Yelchin, the actor who plays Chekov in the new ‘Star Trek’ films, was killed in a car accident. (Getty)

Anton Yelchin, the actor who plays Chekov in the new Star Trek films, was killed in a freak accident near his home, TMZ reported. Yelchin was only 27.

Yelchin’s publicist, Jennifer Allen, confirmed the news to The Associated Press.

The site claims that friends got nervous when Yelchin did not arrive for a rehearsal. They drove to his San Fernadno Valley home at 1 a.m., only to find the Alpha Dog actor stuck inbetween his car and a brick mailbox. The mailbox is attached to his security gate.

The image below shows the bent security gate.

Law enforcement sources said that the cars engine was running and in neutral. Its still not known why he got out of his car while it was still running, but police do not suspect foul play.

Yelchin was born in Leningrad, Russia and an only child. He began acting in Hollywood in 2000. That year, he was seen in an episode of ER, the TV movie Geppetto and the film A Man is Mostly Water. Although he continued to make appearances in television and movies, it wasn’t until 2009 that he really became a star by playing the young Chevov in J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek. He reprised the role in Star Trek Into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond, which opens next month.

Yelchin’s other work includes Hearts in Atlantis, House of D, Charlie Bartlett, Terminator Salvation, The Beaver, Only Lovers Left Alive, and 5 To 7. He was most recently seen in the horror film Green Room, which co-starred former star Trek: The Next Generation actor Patrick Stewart and Imogen Poots. He was dating Poots at the time of his death.

“All of us at Paramount join the world in morning the untimely passing of Anton Yelchin,” Paramount said in a statement. “As a member of the Star Trek family, he was beloved by so many and he will missed by all. We share our deepest condolences with his mother, father and family.”

This is a breaking story and we’ll have updates when they come in.