Parents of 27-year-old woman killed while filming movie win $11.2-million judgment

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Parents of 27-year-old woman killed while filming movie win $11.2-million judgment

Ethan Varian

July 17, 2017, 5:20 PM

The parents of Sarah Jones, the camera assistant who was killed during filming of a movie in Georgia in 2014, won a significant legal victory Monday when a court awarded the family $11.2 million in damages.

Jones, 27, was fatally struck by a train that crashed into a crew filming a scene on a railway for the Gregg Allman biopic “Midnight Rider.” Several other crew members also were injured during filming of the scene on a historic trestle outside of Savannah. Authorities said producers did not have permission to film on the railway.

The accident prompted multiple state and federal investigations and galvanized the film industry, prompting calls for greater attention to safety on sets worldwide. The judgment comes at a time when set safety issues are again rattling the industry after a stuntman died during filming of the AMC television series “The Walking Dead” last week. That accident also occurred in Georgia.

Attorneys for CSX, the train’s operator, had argued that they had not authorized the “Midnight Rider” filmmakers to shoot on the railway.

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Jury awards $11.2 million following Georgia movie-set fatality

Jennifer Brett The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
8:19 p.m Monday, July 17, 2017 Atlanta News

A Chatham County jury on Monday awarded more than $11.2 million in a civil suit stemming from a deadly accident on a Georgia film set. ... “Midnight Rider” crew member Sarah Jones, 27, died in February 2014 when a train came hurtling down the track where the film crew was setting up for a scene. The production did not have permission to film on the train trestle, outside Jesup.

Director Randall Miller reached a plea deal that avoided a trial and absolved his wife and business partner, Jody Savin, of criminal prosecution. In pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespassing, Miller received a sentence of two years in jail and eight on probation, in addition to a $20,000 fine. He was released early, in March 2016.

The jury decided on the allocation of liability: CSX for 35 percent or roughly $3.9 million, Miller for 28 percent or $3.14 million, Rayonier (the corporation that owns the land where the tracks are located) for 18 percent or about 2 million, Savin and first assistant director Hillary Schwartz for 7 percent or about $785,000 and producer Jay Sedrish for 5 percent or about {$561,000}.
....

The verdict came days after another fatal injury on a Georgia film set. John Bernecker, a stuntman who had been working on “The Walking Dead” set in Coweta County, was seriously injured when he fell more than 20 feet and missed a safety cushion. Coweta County Coroner Richard Hawk told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Bernecker was flown by medical helicopter to the Atlanta Medical Center, where he was pronounced brain dead at 6:30 p.m. July 12. On July 14, a statement issued on behalf of his family by LifeLink Foundation said his organs had been donated.

It wasn't a movie set. It was a railroad bridge.

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Eastern Railroad Discussion > GA Jury finds CSX responsible for film crew death

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Sarah Jones Family V. CSX Verdict: Jones Win $11.2M In Savannah Court; Family Releases Statement
by Anita Busch
and Patty Leon, Special To Deadline

July 17, 2017 4:20pm

[WhiskeyGrinder]

1. Interesting, so CSX's liability appears to stem from other train crews NOT reporting people near

the tracks? Instead of, you know, the people who were actually trespassing? Either the railroad will instruct every crew to report railfans any time they see them (on top of all the other stupid crap they have to do instead of, you know, running the train), or they'll decrease access through increased patrols. I wonder what happened to the crew in the train that hit Jones. I hope they got the help they'll need.

[DK504]

2. I am glad to see production companies being held responsible for accidents.

Stunt coordinators are generally very good about safety, but checks are sometimes over looked due to producers wanting to get more and more done in the day/shooting day.

There is a law on the books in California becasue a key Grip dying becasue he had to work an insane amount of hours without a turn around (travel time home and sleep). I have been in the same situation once or twice, working 30 hours straight and have to drive from near Simi Valley back to LA. I feel asleep twice at the wheel, if not for potholes I'd be dead and my passenger.