CALIFORNIA—On Wednesday, July 13, at 5:51 p.m., Westminster Police Department (WPD) officers responded to a call of a stabbing at the 76 Gas Station and found the victim, U.S. Auto Club National Champion and former NASCAR driver, Robert John “Bobby” East, 37, of San Dimas lying on the ground suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

Bobby East.

Officers administered first aid until Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) paramedics arrived.  Paramedics transported East to the University of California Irvine Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries. The assailant fled the scene.

Trent Millsap

Detectives identified the suspect as Trent William Millsap, a homeless transient, with an outstanding warrant against him for a parole violation from a previous armed robbery.

Millsap frequented area motels in Westminster, Garden Grove, and Anaheim.

On Friday, July 15, WPD detectives received a tip that the homicide suspect was in one of the apartments located in the 3300th block of Lincoln Avenue in Anaheim.

The West County SWAT Team including a K-9 Officer responded to the call with a search and seizure warrant for the suspect and an officer involved shooting. They sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. The suspect was shot and killed by officers at the scene.

The shooting is currently under investigation by both WPD and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.

Arrest records by Local Crime News indicate that Millsap was arrested approximately 10 times between June 2019 and June 2022. 

He was arrested once for public intoxication on June 2, 2019, burglary on December 22,  2019, and again on September 24, 2020, and on April 2, 2022 for a felony parole violation. 

On April 19, he was arrested under the influence, possession, and giving false information to a police officer. On April 20, Millsap was arrested under the influence of a controlled substance. 

On April 30 and May 9, he was arrested on a possession charge.  On May 23, Millsap was arrested for another felony parole violation.  On June 1, he was arrested on a possession charge, and on June 23 he was arrested for a possession charge in Orange County.