Director Randall Miller co-wrote the screenplay with Jody Savin, based on the autobiography My Cross to Bear by the singer Gregg Allman.
The film was to star William Hurt, Tyson Ritter, Zoey Deutch, Eliza Dushku, and Wyatt Russell.
On February 20, 2014, the first day of filming, the crew was on an active railroad trestle bridge, high over the Altamaha River in Wayne County, Georgia.
Due to criminal negligence by the producers of the film, second assistant camerawoman Sarah Jones was killed when she was struck by a CSX freight train that arrived on the trestle.
Miller, Savin, executive producer Jay Sedrish, and first assistant director Hillary Schwartz were charged with involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespass[6] as well as being cited by OSHA for "serious" and "willful" safety violations.
[7][8] On March 9, 2015, Miller pled guilty to felony involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespassing and received a 10-year sentence, of which he served one year, followed by probation.
Sedrish was also convicted of felony involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespassing via a plea bargain and sentenced to 10 years of probation.
[19] The name of the film was announced as Midnight Rider: The Gregg Allman Story on November 1, 2013,[1] and was followed with promotional artwork, a Facebook page, and casting calls using that title.
[20][failed verification] On Thursday, February 20, 2014, the film crew was transported an hour from Meddin Studios to a remote location for a "camera test".
'"[22] Under Miller's direction, the crew prepared and started filming a dream sequence involving William Hurt as Allman on a heavy metal hospital bed on a live railroad trestle, high above the Altamaha River.
Video of the crew indicates that they were unaware how fast it was approaching; some attempted to remove camera equipment and the metal bed from the trestle.
[4] Executive producer Nick Gant, creative director and principal of Meddin Studios, denied any wrongdoing or negligence in the incident, told Variety that the crew was extremely well qualified, and blamed the railway company for the mishap.
[30] On February 24, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office released an incident report that said the production company had been denied permission by CSX to film on the trestle.
[41][42] On September 10, 2014, Hillary Schwartz, the first assistant director of Midnight Rider, was charged with involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespassing.
The lawsuit also revealed that it had rewritten the script, and submitted it to the insurance carrier, to be about 1970s rock music in general, not specifically about Allman.
[55] The insurance policy has a clear stipulation that the insured must adhere to all safety standards and laws to prevent loss, but OSHA cited Film Allman LLC for putting its crew at risk both of falls from the trestle, a "serious citation", and of being struck by a train, a "willful citation", in addition to criminal indictments of the three managing producers and first AD for criminal trespassing and involuntary manslaughter.
Contributing to the accident was the adjacent property owner's actions to facilitate the film crew's access to the right-of-way and bridge.
"[57] In its annual report, the National Council on Occupational Safety and Health (COSH) cited Sarah Jones as one of seven case studies of workplace deaths that could have been prevented.
Pagano had also worked with Miller as casting director on Midnight Rider, CBGB, Noble Son and Bottle Shock.
[59] It was unclear whether the Slick Rock Trail script was the same one Miller presented as a rewrite of Midnight Rider in his lawsuit against New York Marine Insurance.