Allman Brothers Biopic `Midnight Rider’ Producers Sued by CSX Transportation Over Febuary Death of Sarah Jones

Greg Allman's biopic "Midnight Rider" is rolling back into court. Railroad operator CSX Transportation filed a cross claim against the producers of "Midnight Rider," claiming that they illegally filmed on its tracks where a train collided with the crew earlier this year and that CSX  denied them permission two times to film on train tracks where a Feb. 20 accident killed Sarah Jones and injured six others.

CSX Transportation sued the Allman Brothers biopic Midnight Rider in Chatham County State Court.

This is the first time that CSX, a Florida-based railroad operator, made any public statement about the "Midnight Rider" crash.

Second camera assistant Sarah Jones was killed near Jessup, Georgia during the first day of shooting "Midnight Rider," The day's shoot was of a dream sequence on a railroad trestle, with a hospital bed on the tracks. Jones was killed when a train came across the bridge. The crew was hit was debris. Jones was knocked into the path of the train by debris from the bed.

The parents of Sarah Jones sued 10 individuals, including director Randall Miller, and eight corporations, including CSX Transportation, which owns the railroad tracks where Feb. 20 tragedy took place, Film Allman and Unclaimed Freight Productions. Singer Gregg Allman was sued along with others accused of being responsible for the February death of the young camera assistant.

Director Randall Miller and two other top executives are facing criminal charges of criminal trespass and involuntary manslaughter. Greg Allman Biopic 'Midnight Rider' producer Jay Sedrish pleaded not guilty in the death of Sarah Jones. Sedrish's lawyer, John Ossick, confirmed that Sedrish waived his right for an arraignment and asked the court to enter a not guilty plea by mail.

Last month "Midnight Rider" director Randall Miller and producer Jody Savin pleaded not guilty to the same charges. They had turned themselves in to the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.

CSX filed a response denying negligence and alleging that Jones put herself in a dangerous situation.

CSX seeks to be dismissed from that case. The transport company contends that it did not bear liability for the accident.

In a statement the company said "CSXT denies that it had prior knowledge that the 'Midnight Rider' cast and film crew or their equipment were or would be on its tracks or trestle. CSXT admits that, because CSXT lacked any such knowledge, CSXT did not send a representative to remove the 'Midnight Rider' defendants or their equipment from its tracks and trestle."

The family of the Sarah Jones launched a website called www.SafetyforSarah.com to bring attention to safety issues across the entertainment industry.

Tags
world news
greg allman biopic midnight rider
Join the Discussion

Latest Photo Gallery

Real Time Analytics