Nascar Driver Fatally Stabbed At CA Gas Station; Police Kill Suspect

WESTMINSTER, CA — Former Nascar champion Bobby East, 37, died Wednesday after he was stabbed by a man at a gas station in Orange County. The suspect was shot and killed by police Friday, authorities confirmed.

East was filling his gas tank around 5:45 p.m. Wednesday at the 76 station at 6322 Westminster Blvd in Westminster when a transient man approached him. The two reportedly had an exchange of words before the man stabbed East in the chest, Sgt. Eddie Esqueda of the Westminster Police Department said.

East was found suffering from a serious chest injury and rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Police identified the suspect as 27-year-old Trent William Millsap, who is known as a transient who frequents Westminster, Garden Grove and Anaheim, according to Esqueda.

Police received a tip Friday that Milsap was in an apartment in the 3300 block of Lincoln Avenue in Anaheim, said Commander Kevin MacCormick of the WPD.

A SWAT team was dispatched to the unit and during the search warrant, a shooting involving police and the suspect unfolded. A police dog was wounded in the crossfire, but it was considered non-life-threatening, MacCormick said.

Millsap was killed in the shooting.

East was a three-time U.S. Auto Club National Champion driver in the USAC Silver Crown and Midgets, according to USAC.

"East was phenomenal in USAC National Sprint Cars as well, most notably on pavement tracks," the USAC said in a statement Friday, according to media reports. "He tallied 15 wins in the series, with the first coming in 2003 at Ohio’s Mansfield Motorsports Speedway. He also prevailed at the Milwaukee Mile in 2005 in what remains as the last USAC Sprint Car race held on a one-mile track."

East was born in Torrance, but he made his home throughout his racing career in Brownsburg, Ind., USA Racing reported.

City News Service contributed to this report.