'9-1-1' crew member dies in car crash after working 14-hour overnight shift, union says
File photo of 9-1-1 actors onstage during the 2018 Winter Television Critics Association Press Tour at The Langham Huntington, Pasadena on January 4, 2018. (Photo by Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - "9-1-1" is mourning the loss of one of its own.
Rico Priem, who worked as a grip on the ABC TV series, died in a car accident Saturday following a 14-hour overnight shift in Pomona, his union IATSE Local 80 confirmed.
Priem left work a little after 4 a.m. and was driving his Toyota Highlander on the 57 Freeway in San Dimas when for unknown reasons, his vehicle went off the road, up an embankment, and flipped onto its roof, the California Highway Patrol told The Hollywood Reporter. He died at the scene.
Priem's shift on Friday was his second 14-hour production day in a row, a union leader confirmed with the publication.
"Everyone in the IA family is shocked and deeply saddened by this tragic loss. 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," IATSE Local 80 President Matthew Loeb shared.
The union also noted the priority it places on members' safety.
"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," it added in addition to Loeb's words. "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."
The show's studio, 20th Television, shared a statement with THR that read, "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."
Following the news of Priem's death, colleague and IATSE Local 80 member Nina Moskol shared a tribute on Instagram in remembrance of her fellow grip.
"He was on the cusp of retirement, with his paperwork filed," she wrote."He had his already rich life planned for retirement, including spending time with his wife, watching his grand-nephew grow, riding his beloved Harley, and even gripping still to stay connected to his friends. He was so jazzed about what he had learned about retiring."
Moskol included a stark reminder.
"The two most dangerous parts of our days are getting to work, and getting home," she said. "Please stay safe out there. Grip safe. Drive safe. Get off the road if needed. Take the room."
Prior to his role on "9-1-1," Priem worked on other TV shows and movies including "S.W.A.T.", "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,"and "Star Trek," according to THR.