Justin Mentell, 27, Boston Legal Actor, Dies in Car Crash

Justin Mentell, best known for his role in the hit television show Boston Legal, has been killed in a car crash near Madison, Wisc., according to police. He was thrown from his Jeep after it careened down an embankment and struck two trees.

Mentell, 27, was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash around 9 a.m.. Although his airbag deployed, he was thrown from the car and killed instantly.

Local coroner William Finley pronounced him dead at the scene after paramedics responded on a call from an eyewitness.

The Mid-West was hit hard by a snow storm and driving was hazardous throughout the region.

Mentell played Garrett Wells on the hit ABC drama from 2005 to 2006. He also acted in films, mainly independent features, although he had a role in the Jerry Bruckheimer-produced live-action/CGI family Disney movie, “G-Force.”

Mentell had acting in his blood. He was born in Austin, Texas, and debuted on stage at 3-years-old as an orphan in Miss Liberty, and went on to appear in local theater productions, among them the musical Peter Pan

The family moved to Waukegan, Ill., and Mentell joined the Northbrook Children’s Theater, where he continued to perform on stage. He attended Northern Illinois University (NIU), where he majored in acting.

He also took up speed skating, placing third at the Junior Olympics and eventually become a member of the U.S. Speedskating’s junior national long track team.