Bobby East
Orange County, California – NASCAR driver Bobby East died after being stabbed in the chest at a Southern California gas station on Wednesday.
The 37-year-old NASCAR star was filling up his car at a Westminster gas station when a 27-year-old man approached him and stabbed him 3 times in the chest.
Trent William Millsap (photo below), a known transient in the area, is a suspect in the stabbing and is still on the loose.
Westminster PD
6-foot-five-inch Millsap also stabbed another man at the Westminster gas station before attacking Bobby East.
“The victim was found on the ground suffering from a serious stab wound to the chest area,’ Westminster Police said in a statement. ‘Officers attempted life saving measures until OCFA paramedics arrived and transported the victim to a local trauma center, where the victim succumbed to his injury.”
The Daily Mail reported:
NASCAR star Bobby East, 37, died after being stabbed at a California gas station.
Police have arrested Trent William Millsap, 27, who allegedly stabbed the three-time US Auto Club (USAC) champ in the chest while he was fueling up in Westminster on Wednesday.
East was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Police said Millsap, a transient who frequents the area, was also accused of stabbing another man at the 76 gas station before allegedly attacking East.
East, of Torrance, California, was a star in the racing world, capturing three USAC national driving titles and winning the SAC Silver Crown championships in 2012 and 2013.
Hitting the scene in 2001, East was seen as a natural on the racetrack given that he’s the son of USAC Hall of Fame car builder Bob East.
That year, East found his first victory at the USAC National Midgets in 2001, becoming the youngest winner ever at the time at 16, and he was awarded the USAC’s Rookie of the Year.
The USAC dubbed him ‘the winningest USAC National Midget Rookie in more than a quarter century.’
He totaled 22 USAC National Midget wins during his career, and raced in 42 NASCAR national competitions between 2005 and 2008.
Very sad to hear of the tragic incident involving Legend USAC driver Bobby East. He was one heck of a wheelman. Thoughts and prayers to his family
— Todd Bodine (Official) (@Team_Onion) July 16, 2022
Tragic news: Three-time USAC champion Bobby East had died. Please keep the East family in your thoughts. https://t.co/zzEWrtnVaS
— SPEED SPORT (@SPEEDSPORT) July 15, 2022
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story reported the stabbing suspect was taken into custody. The story has been corrected to report the suspect is still on the loose, according to authorities.
