A crew member working on the TV series “9-1-1” died last week in a car accident following a 14-hour overnight shift, his union said.
Rico Priem, who worked as a grip on the ABC show, “died in a tragic freeway accident in Los Angeles,” union IATSE Local 80 confirmed.
Priem’s crash occurred around 4:20 a.m. on Saturday morning when his Toyota Highlander flipped over on an embankment after leaving the road near San Dimas. He was found dead at the scene. Why Priem’s vehicle went off the road is part of the ongoing investigation, according to the California Highway Patrol.
“Everyone in the IA family is shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic loss,” IATSE Local 80 President Matthew Loeb said in a statement. “We are working to support our member’s family, their fellow members and colleagues. Safety in all aspects of the work our members do is our highest priority and we will assist in any investigation in any way that we can.”
“We are fully committed to the safety and the well-being of all our members and express our heartfelt condolences to the member’s family,” a statement attributed to the larger organization added. “Workers have a reasonable expectation that they can get to work and come home safely. No one should be put in unsafe circumstances while trying to earn a living.”
20th Television, a producer on the show, also memorialized Priem.
“On behalf of the studio and everyone at ‘9-1-1,’ we send our sincere and deepest condolences to Rico Priem’s family and friends,” it said in a statement.
Nina Moskol, a fellow IATSE member working on “9-1-1” shared a eulogy of of Priem on Instagram while advocated for better protections for workers.
“The two most dangerous parts of our days are getting to work, and getting home,” she wrote. “Please stay safe out there. Grip safe. Drive safe. Get off the road if needed. Take the room.”
Priem’s death is the latest connected to high-profile film and TV productions. In February, rigger J.C. “Spike” Osorio died in a fall on the set of Marvel Studios’ “Wonder Man” series in Los Angeles. In April, several crew members were injured while rehearsing a stunt sequence on the Atlanta set of Eddie Murphy’s upcoming film “The Pickup.”
