A Local 80 grip, Rico Priem, lost his life after a car accident on his way home in Pomona early Saturday morning.
We offer our deepest condolence to Rico Preim. May his departed soul rest in peace!!
Key Takeaways
- Rico Priem, who was part of the “9-1-1” camera crew, passed away in an accident while returning home after a long shift.
- He was married to Sandy Angelo and was about to retire.
- Tributes and condolences from friends and families have covered social media.
The 66-year-old veteran crew member was driving home after a 14-hour set of the ABC series “9-1-1” when his SUV left the freeway and flipped over.
The crash was reported at 4:27 a.m., and he was announced dead on the scene.
After the news broke out, IATSE released a statement,
We are fully committed to the safety and well-being of all our members and express our heartfelt condolences to the member’s family.
IATSE
Similarly, 20th Television, the production house of the series, also released a statement,
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.
20th Television
Married Life And Plan For Retirement
Rico Priem was married to his wife, Sandy Angelo, and they were a perfect couple.
Sandy is from Los Angeles, California, and attended William Howard Taft High School.
From traveling worldwide to being together for more than decades, they sure have created a memory she will cherish forever.
The couple are barely active on social media, posting only occasional photo updates for their friends and family on their Facebook.
As a result, there are faint details about Rico and Sandy, but by just evaluating what was known, it’s clear that they were living a happy life.
Sadly, Rico was on the verge of retirement and had already filed his paperwork.
He had made plans for his retirement, including spending time with his wife and watching his grand-nephew grow.
In addition, he wanted to ride his beloved Harley in peace and even thought of still gripping to stay connected to his friends.
Priem was thrilled about what he had learned, and after retiring, he wanted to teach the locals the ins and outs of gripping.
May his family gain the strength to cope with this challenging period!
Tributes For The Generous And Good-Natured Veteran
Tributes started pouring for the kind-hearted and beloved soul who touched many lives throughout his career.
One person said,
Rico was one of the best I had ever met…. You will be missed my friend.
Dan Pershing Via Facebook
Another one followed,
Rest easy Rico. I can’t believe this. I worked with him the last two days on 911. I thanked him for leveling out my condor Friday night. He was a gem of a guy. I had the pleasure of working with him pre strike on the rookie Feds as the bbg. So I was excited to see him out there!!
David Carter Via Facebook
Such a loss my thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family.
One of his dear friends and colleagues, Nina Moskol, penned a heartfelt condolence message for the departed,
She wrote on her Facebook,
Rico was a wonderful man, charismatic, vibrant, connected to people on shows everywhere. Rico was clever, smart, strong as an ox, had a heart of gold, ran the best football pools, and told the best colorful stories from his days in NYC and from his later life in LA.
Nina Moskol Via Facebook
She also hoped that his family get the required help in this desperate time,
I know that Ryan Murphy helped many of his regular workforces through the worst of the strikes; I hope he will come through for Rico and his family, as he deserved to come home tired but whole after yet another hard week in a hard and ‘near’ but distant location. The two most dangerous parts of our days are getting to work and getting home.
Nina Moskol Via Facebook
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Rico Priem studied at the University of Vermont and was the class of 1979.
- Priem worked on projects such as “S.W.A.T.,” “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,” “Christmas With the Kranks,” “Star Trek,” “Ghost World,” and many more.
