‘Star Trek’ actor Anton Yelchin dies in freak car accident

Anton Yelchin, best known for playing Chekov in the last two Star Trek movies, has died after being crushed by his own car.

Yelchin (27), was found pinned between his car and a brick pillar by friends, TMZ reported.

The concerned friends visited his home at 1am and made the discovery after he missed a rehearsal several hours before. Authorities told TMZ that the engine was still on and the car was in neutral.

Jalopnik speculated that the car, believed to be a Jeep Grand Cherokee, may have been one of a million models recalled due to a confusing gear shifter. The motoring blog claimed that drivers often left the vehicle in neutral rather than park due to the confusing design, resulting in the vehicles rolling away.

Yelchin will posthumously appear on the big screen when Star Trek Beyond is released next month.

Aside from the Star Trek franchise, Yelchin also starred in Stephen Spielberg’s Taken, Terminator: Salvation, Along Came a Spider and Alpha Dog.