Trigger warning: This article contains reference to a deadly accident.
Video footage of the accident that occurred on the set of Eddie Murphy’s film The Pickup was released on Wednesday, April 24, by the New York Times. A cell phone footage of the April 20 accident shows an SUV and an armored truck colliding, then flipping over after veering off the track.
In the video released by the outlet, an armored truck pulls parallel to the SUV and then rams into it. The collision sends both vehicles skidding off the road and into the grass. The truck then rolls on top of the SUV, with both vehicles flipping 360° before landing on their tires. The footage concludes with a person’s body hanging limply from the armored truck door.
The exact cause of the grave mishap hasn’t been revealed yet; however, reports suggest that the truck was meant to collide with the SUV as a part of a pre-planned stunt sequence. Here’s what Amazon Studios, the producer and distributor of the film in question, has said about the accident.
Amazon Studios issues statement on The Pickup set accident: Crew Members Injured, Investigation Underway
“On April 20, an accident occurred on the set of The Pickup during a rehearsed second unit action sequence. Unfortunately, the sequence did not go as planned and several members of the crew were injured as a result. We are still in the process of gathering facts on what happened and why, but first and foremost our thoughts are with those who are recovering,” a spokesperson for the studio said in a statement on Tuesday.
At least half a dozen people who were a part of the stunt scene sustained injuries, as per The New York Times sources. “The well-being of the entire crew and cast is our first priority, and we will continue to insist on the highest industry standards of safety while filming. All safety precautions were reviewed prior to and monitored during the shoot,” the Amazon spokesperson added.
OSHA investigating The Pickup set crash
According to the New York Times, the crash that injured many on the set of The Pickup is being investigated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Following the accident, the injured were transported to a local hospital, with one of them sustaining a back injury. None of the actors in the film, including Eddie Murphy, Keke Palmer, and Pere Davidson, were involved in the crash that occurred at a small airport outside Atlanta.
