CSX settles in wrongful death case involving film crew

CSX settles in wrongful death suit involving film crew member

By Elizabeth Rawlins | January 30, 2019 at 4:42 PM EST - Updated January 30 at 10:53 PM

WAYNE COUNTY, GA (WTOC) - CSX Transportation has agreed to settle in the wrongful death case involving camera assistant, Sarah Jones.

You may remember - Jones was struck and killed by a train back in 2014 while on the set of the Gregg Allman biopic ‘Midnight Rider,' in Wayne County.

Over the last five years, we’ve continued to bring you the very latest from the courtroom, including multiple lawsuits. Some have faced criminal charges.

It was announced on Wednesday that a confidential settlement with CSX Transportation has been reached in the case. This comes on the heals of an $11.2 million verdict that was reached back in 2017 following the civil trial. A jury concluded Jones' death was a direct result of negligence of multiple parties - including CSX.

During the trial, attorneys argued that CSX failed to communicate in a timely manner with the film crew about whether they had permission to be on the tracks, ultimately contributing to the film crew being on the tracks. CSX was responsible for paying $3.9 million in that case.

Richard Jones, Sarah’s father, released a statement after Wednesday’s settlement was reached.

“This has been a long journey, and we’re deeply grateful for the support we’ve received from family, friends and members of the film community. We’re relieved that the lawsuit has concluded.”

This case has gained national attention, shedding light to safety issues in the film industry. As a result, the Safety for Sarah campaign was launched to help transform the industry.

You can see some of our past coverage of the case below: