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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsRico Priem, a 66-year-old grip on the television series 9-1-1, died after his car crashed while he was driving home from an overnight shoot in Pomona on May 11, 2024. Although early headlines described the death as a heart attack, reports citing Los Angeles County Medical Examiner records gave the cause as “sudden cardiac dysfunction,” with cardiomegaly—an enlarged heart—listed as a secondary cause.
Who was Rico Priem?
Priem worked as a grip on 9-1-1, a behind-the-scenes crew role, not an on-screen cast role. The Los Angeles Times reported his age as 66 when it covered his death on May 13, 2024.
What happened on the drive home?
According to the Los Angeles Times, Priem had finished a reported 14-hour overnight shift at a 9-1-1 shoot in Pomona. At approximately 4:30 a.m. on May 11, his vehicle left the road, went up an embankment and overturned as he was driving home. The newspaper said the crash investigation was ongoing at the time of its report.
What was the reported cause of death?
E! News, citing Los Angeles County Medical Examiner records in a report published June 19, 2024, reported “sudden cardiac dysfunction” as the cause of death and cardiomegaly as a secondary cause. A New York Times report republished by Yahoo the following day also described sudden cardiac dysfunction; it reported that the autopsy found no fatal traumatic injuries and that toxicology was negative for alcohol or other drugs.
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Those are findings as reported by the outlets, rather than details independently verified here against the county’s case record. “Heart attack” is a common shorthand in headlines, but it is not the exact medical wording attributed to the examiner in these reports.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why did the death prompt a workplace-safety debate?
Priem’s death brought renewed attention to long production hours and the risks crew members may face when driving after overnight work. The Los Angeles Times reported that colleagues and the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) called for safer working conditions. IATSE said: “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.”
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In a July 11, 2024, Los Angeles Times report about a vigil and renewed crew organizing, IATSE spokesperson Sean Miller repeated that “No one should be put in unsafe circumstances while trying to earn a living.” Costumer Lisa Gardner said at the vigil: “We are dying to entertain people. It doesn’t have to be that way.”
The reported shift length and the safety concerns help explain why the crash became part of a labor-safety discussion. They do not establish that fatigue caused the crash or Priem’s death; the reported medical examiner finding should be kept distinct from that broader debate.
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