“9-1-1” crew member dies in car accident after work

9-1-1 Crew member Rico Priem died in a car accident early Saturday morning.

Priem, who oversees the series, was on his way home from a 14-hour shift on the Fox drama after working overnight at a location for the series from Friday evening to Saturday morning.

20th Television, which produces the show, confirmed the news Weekly entertainment and shared a statement saying, “On behalf of the studio and everyone involved.” 9-1-1We extend our sincerest and deepest condolences to Rico Priem’s ​​family and friends.

Priem was a member of IATSE Local 80 and had worked as a handle on a variety of titles including SWAT, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Star Trek, And Christmas with the Kranks.

EW has reached out to representatives from IATSE Local 80 for comment.

His Grip colleague and union member Nina Moskol posted a memory of Priem on social media, calling him “an exceptional Best Boy Grip.” She noted that she was on set with him Thursday night and that the two discussed his upcoming retirement plans.

Moskol noted that for crew members, the riskiest part of their job is often commuting. “The two most dangerous parts of our day are the commute to work and the commute home,” she wrote. “Please stay safe out there. Hold on tight. Drive carefully. Get off the street if necessary. Take the space.”

The post also shared details of Moskol’s final conversation with Priem on set. “He was close to retirement with his paperwork filed,” she wrote. “He had planned his already rich life for retirement. This included spending time with his wife, watching his great-nephew grow up, riding his beloved Harley, and even making an effort to stay in touch with his friends. He was so excited about what he had learned.” About retirement, he wanted to teach the local the ins and outs of retirement. We had just talked about all of these things as we sat at the tailgate of the 10-ton truck on Thursday evening.

Additional details about Priem’s ​​accident remain to be determined, including whether he may have fallen asleep at the wheel or whether the accident had nothing to do with the length of his night shift.

But long hours that increase the risk of the job have long been a point of contention between studios and IATSE. In 2021, one of the main issues when negotiating a new contract was curbing the long hours on set without adequate rest or editing time. A normal working day usually lasts 12 hours.

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IATSE is currently negotiating a new contract, but crew safety related to the length of the working day is not a new issue. In 1997, cinematographer Brent Hershman fell asleep at the wheel and died on the drive home after a 19-hour day on set Pleasantville. In 2006, cinematographer Haskell Wexler made a documentary: Who needs sleep? Hold IATSE leadership accountable regarding working conditions in the industry.

In 2017 Riverdale Star KJ Apa was in a car accident because he fell asleep at the wheel after a day on set. He took responsibility and said he should have stopped and slept. However, he later noted that his hours on set did not change after the accident.

Safety on set has also been a hot topic for a long time. A crew member was at Marvel Studios back in February Miracle man died after falling from the rafters on set. Last month, several crew members were injured while filming an action sequence The loading wagon starring Eddie Murphy. And several legal battles are still underway in connection with the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of Rust.