Last Sunday, actor Anton Yelchin, best known for playing Pavel Chekov in the "Star Trek" film series, was killed in a freak accident when his SUV rolled backwards down a steep driveway and crushed him against a brick pillar and steel security fence. Yesterday, after an autopsy on the body, the Los Angeles coroner's office declared the incident a complete accident, with the cause of death being blunt force asphyxia.
No suspicious circumstances were involved in the incident, according to an investigator with that office, and it's possible that Yelchin did not properly place his vehicle in park mode. While the results from the toxicology tests will take months to release, Yelchin has had no history of drugs, and no alcoholic drinks were found in his vehicle.
An outpouring of mourning and support has since arisen from Yelchin's fans, as well as people he has worked with and other celebrities who knew him. On Twitter, JJ Abrams, director of the past two "Star Trek" films, as well as Chris Pine, John Cho, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Simon Pegg, and other members of the film's ensemble cast, all expressed their grief and paid tribute to the passing of the young, rising star. Investigators believe that Yelchin died within a minute of being pinned by his car.
While Yelchin's most well-known role was in "Star Trek," his career has a long history of strong performances, beginning with his first role in an episode of "ER," continuing on to his breakout, critically-acclaimed role in "Alpha Dog" back in 2006, and then in the 2007 film "Charlie Bartlett," 2009's "Terminator: Salvation," 2011's "Odd Thomas," and in last year's "Green Room," a horror hit in which his performance was praised yet again.
Yelchin still has several upcoming projects to be released posthumously, including "Star Trek: Beyond," due late this year, as well as another sci-fi film, "Rememory," and the Netflix animated series "Trollhunters" by Guillermo del Toro, in which Yelchin voices the main character.
