Sandy MaloneWestminster, CA – A former NASCAR driver was stabbed to death as he put gas in his vehicle at a California gas station on July 13.
Police said 37-year-old Robert “Bobby” East was putting gas in his vehicle at the 76 station on Westminster Boulevard in Westminster just before 6 p.m. on July 13 when he was stabbed in the chest, FOX News reported.
Westminster police said the suspect – later identified as 27-year-old Trent William Millsap – fled the scene before police arrived.
Officers responded to the gas station and found East on the ground suffering from a “serious chest wound,” FOX News reported.
He was transported to the trauma center at University of California, Irvine Medical Center and was pronounced dead, according to The Guardian.
BREAKING: NASCAR star Bobby East is stabbed to death by known transient at a Los Angeles gas station pic.twitter.com/9xxFYOBfm2
— Art TakingBack 🇺🇸 (@ArtValley818_) July 16, 2022
Police located the suspect, who already had outstanding warrants for parole violations and was considered “armed and dangerous,” at an apartment complex in Anaheim on Friday, FOX News reported.
A SWAT team surrounded the property and engaged in a standoff with the suspect that ended when officers fatally shot Millsap, The Guardian reported.
Bobby East murder suspect Trent William Millsap shot dead by SWAT pic.twitter.com/8qMkzQHOyN
— Breakingtrendsnews (@Breakingtrends1) July 16, 2022
Police said Millsap was on parole for an armed robbery conviction when he was killed.
BREAKING REPORT: NASCAR star Bobby East, 37, is STABBED TO DEATH at California gas station as he filled up his car — Cops hunt homeless man, 27, on parole for the murder…
— Chuck Callesto (@ChuckCallesto) July 16, 2022
Other drivers and racing teams honored East during races over the weekend.
Today I will be striking out my @NHRA racing number in memory of Bobby East, I knew his dad pretty well and my USAC cars raced against him. My thoughts are with his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/HOu80YvkAT
— Cruz Pedregon (@CruzPedregon) July 17, 2022
Bobby East was one heck of a racer. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the East family. pic.twitter.com/AhvqMp8DTZ
— Indy Racing Images (@IRIphotography) July 15, 2022
East won three U.S. Auto Club (USAC) racing championships and was just 16 in when he became the youngest driver to win a feature USAC National Midget race in 2001.
He made 11 career starts in what is now NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and made two top-10 finishes in 31 career Truck Series races, according to The Guardian.
“Very sad to hear of the tragic incident involving Legend USAC driver Bobby East. He was one heck of a wheelman,” former Truck Series champion Todd Bodine said.
Holly Matkin
