A longtime and beloved studio grip died early Saturday in a auto accident following pulling a 14-hour right away shift on the Television series “9-1-1.”
Rico Priem, 66, who worked on productions which include “Six Feet Under,” “Deadwood” and “American Historical past X,” was driving household from the Pomona set of “9-1-1” when he was included in a one-car or truck crash at about 4:30 a.m. California Freeway Patrol officials claimed his automobile still left the freeway, traveled up an embankment, then flipped upside down on the road. Officials said the investigation was ongoing, but law enforcement on the scene stated alcohol was a “suspected aspect.”
The demise prompted many of Priem’s colleagues, together with his union, IATSE Community 80, to contact for safer performing situations for movie and tv crews, noting that driving residence immediately after all-night time shifts is each harmful and a program part of the career.
“Workers have a acceptable expectation that they can get to operate and appear dwelling safely and securely. No one particular really should be set in unsafe conditions when attempting to generate a dwelling,” IATSE reported in a assertion.
Priem’s colleagues, in the meantime, took to social media to try to remember Priem as a heat, pleasurable-loving and competent crew member, and to convey their grief and their anger.
“We have to make our industry greater and safer,” a person male wrote on Fb.
Nina Moskol, also a grip on “9-1-1,” which airs on ABC, wrote on Fb that she experienced labored with Priem in the days right before his dying, and that he experienced instructed her he was obtaining completely ready to retire and searching forward to spending extra time with his spouse and his grandnephew.
She referred to as Priem’s loss of life a “traumatic loss” and cited grueling get the job done schedules while urging her fellow crew members to push safely, and to settle for lodge rooms if they felt weary somewhat than dashing property.
IATSE is presently in contract negotiations with studios, and performing conditions and lengthy shifts are among the the difficulties getting talked over.
In a statement, 20th Century Tv reported: ”On behalf of the studio and every person at 9-1-1, we mail our sincere and deepest condolences to Rico Priem’s family and good friends.”
