'Riverdale' Star KJ Apa Involved in Car Accident After Long Work Day
"Riverdale" star KJ Apa was involved in a car accident after falling asleep while driving home.
Apa, 20, reportedly fell asleep at the wheel while on his way home after a 16-hour work day in Vancouver. He was rushed to a local hospital for observation. The accident left Apa unharmed, but his car did not fare as well. The passenger side was completely damaged after hitting a light pole, which rendered the vehicle inoperable. Production for "Riverdale's" second season was not interrupted.
"The safety of the cast and crew on all of our productions is of paramount importance to the Studio," reads a press statement from Warner Bros. "In accordance with industry standard policy, if any cast or crew member feels tired or unsafe at any time after working, the Studio will provide a taxi, a driver or a hotel room upon request."
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The studio further clarified that this policy was communicated to everyone working on the show "both in writing and verbally, at the beginning of production and is reiterated continuously throughout the duration of production."
Deadline notes this is the second incident of the same kind to happen in a Vancouver production in recent months. Stuntwoman Joi Harris was also involved in a fatal accident while working on the set of "Deadpool 2" in the area.
Long hours on movie and TV sets has been an issue that plagued Hollywood for many years. Late filmmaker Haskell Wexler previously fought to shed light on the danger after his camera assistant Brent Hershman passed away in 1997 after falling asleep at the wheel and striking a utility pole. At the time, Hershman was driving home from a 19-hour work day, which had been preceded by multiple 15-hour days.
The second season of "Riverdale" premieres Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 8 p.m. EDT on The CW.
