9-1-1 crew member Rico Priem, who died on Saturday, May 11, while driving home after a 14-hour work shift, was killed by a heart attack and not due to drowsiness, as initially suspected.
According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, Priem suffered from a sudden cardiac dysfunction and had cardiomegaly (enlarged heart) with left ventricle hypertrophy. His death was considered natural, and there was no evidence of fatal traumatic injuries.
In addition, the toxicology report was negative for alcohol or other drugs.
As previously reported, Priem, who worked as a grip on the ABC procedural, died last month while driving home from a 14-hour overnight on-location shoot in Pomona, California. According to the California Highway Patrol, Priem’s vehicle “left the roadway for unknown reasons, went up an embankment and flipped onto its roof.”
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
At the time, many suspected the death to have been caused by drowsy driving following Priem’s long work shift. The passing happened while the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) was in negotiations with studios, where they’d raised concerns about long hours putting workers at risk when they drive home.
“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,” the IATSE said in a statement. “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, the studio behind 9-1-1, also released a statement after Priem’s tragic passing, writing, “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.”
Speaking at the Disney/ABC upfront last month, 9-1-1 star Angela Bassett touched on Priem’s death, telling reporters, “The studio, 9-1-1, we all extend our deepest condolences to his friends to his family. It was just a very, very sad moment. We’re all rocked by it, certainly.”
According to a GoFundMe page set up to help Priem’s family and cover the cost of funeral services, Priem was on the verge of retirement. “Filing his paperwork only a few weeks prior, Rico was ready to enjoy his retirement and planning to still work in the business to keep in contact with all of his friends and loved ones in the industry,” the page stated.
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