9-1-1 crew member killed in car accident after 14-hour night shift

A 9-1-1 A crew member died in a highway accident on Saturday after a 14-hour shift on ABC procedures.

Rico Priem was an activist and member of IATSE Local 80. His death was confirmed by the union as well as the show’s studio, 20th Television.

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In a memo to one of the IATSE locals, leadership wrote that Priem stopped production around 4 a.m. Saturday. The accident occurred while he was driving from the filming location in Pomona to Woodland Hills.

According to TVLine, the California Highway Patrol provided more details about the circumstances of the accident. Officials reported the accident occurred around 4:27 a.m

According to reports, Priem was driving north on the 57 Freeway at Via Verde Drive in San Dimas when his vehicle “for unknown reasons left the roadway, went up an embankment and fell onto its roof. Priem was pronounced dead at the scene.” The cause of the accident is being investigated.

“We are fully committed to the safety and well-being of all our members and extend our deepest condolences to the member’s family,” IATSE said in a statement. “Employees have a reasonable expectation that they can come to work safely and come home safely. No one should find themselves in unsafe circumstances while trying to make a living.”

In a statement of his own, IATSE President Matthew D. Loeb added: “Everyone in the IA family is shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic loss.” We are working to support our members’ families, their fellow members and colleagues. Safety in all aspects of our members’ work is our top priority and we will assist any investigation in any way we can.”

Long production times are an ongoing problem that crew members have been trying to address for years. Drowsy driving after filming has led to a number of accidents, including in 2017 when actor KJ Apa was involved in an accident after filming Riverdale.

IATSE members have taken up this issue during collective bargaining in 2021, and the union appears to be prioritizing rest periods between filming days again in current negotiations.

“On behalf of the studio and everyone in it 9-1-1“We extend our sincerest and deepest condolences to the family and friends of Rico Priem,” a spokesperson for 20th Television, the show’s studio, said in a statement.

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