The actor, who did not wear his seatbelt when the accident occurred, was thrown off the Jeep and later pronounced dead at the scene.
- Feb 3, 2010
AceShowbiz - Justin Mentell who brought the character Garrett Wells to life on "Boston Legal" has died at the age of 27. His car reportedly careened off the rural Wisconsin highway and went down the slope before crashing into two trees. It was suspected that Mentell was not wearing the seatbelt at the time of incident, leading him being thrown off the Jeep.
According to Iowa County Sheriff's Department, the accident took place Monday, February 1 at around 3:30 A.M. but Mentell's body was not found until several hours later. A farmer was driving around the area outside Blanchardville, Wisconsin when he noticed the car.
Chief Deputy John Pepper told reporters, "It looks like [Mentell] had been there for several hours. There are a lot of trees in that area, so if you were driving on 39, you wouldn't be able to see the vehicle. The farmer was traveling on Moscow Road after the sun came up, and he saw the Jeep in a field."
Toxicology test is still pending but Pepper said there were no indication of alcohol or drugs in preliminary check. His family has released a statement, writing on his official site "The family and friends of Justin Mentell thank you for visiting his site. Memorial services are being planned."
Meanwhile, Mentell's "Boston Legal" co-star William Shatner expressed his condolence through his Twitter. He wrote, "I'm deeply saddened to hear about Justin Mentell. There's no telling how far up the ladder he may have climbed. My sympathies to his family."
