Bobby East, a race car driver, passed away this week in California after being fatally stabbed. On Wednesday, the 37-year-old three-time national champion was filling up his tank at a Westminster 76 gas station when he was approached by a man who repeatedly stabbed him in the chest. At approximately 5:51 p.m., according to a news release from the Westminster Police Department, a call was made to emergency services. When police got on the scene, they saw the racer on the ground “suffering from a serious stab wound to the chest area” and immediately tried to perform life-saving measures. He was taken to a nearby trauma facility right away, but regrettably he passed away from his wounds.
The USAC wrote in a statement:
“Bobby East, one of the most prolific drivers of his era and a three-time USAC National Champion driver in USAC Silver Crown and Midgets, passed away on the night of July 13, 2022, in southern California. Born in Torrance, California but making his home throughout his racing career in Brownsburg, Indiana, East captured 56 career SAC-sanctioned feature victories, 48 of them in national divisions.”
Trent William Millsap, 27, is the man suspected of killing the NASCAR driver. Millsap already had an outstanding parole warrant. According to law enforcement sources, a SWAT squad with a search warrant raided an apartment in the Anaheim area on Friday after receiving information that he may have been hiding there. As police were trying to take him into custody, he was shot and killed. The event is currently being looked into by the Orange County DA. Since then, East’s sister has used Facebook to express her sorrow at his passing, writing:
“It’s with a heavy heart I make this post, my Brother passed away last night, it hasn’t hit me yet that he is gone. Please send your thoughts as we prepare for this hard journey. I love you so much Bro.”