Car Crash At Star Trek Location Shoot [UPDATED]

ABC23 from Bakersfield, Calif is reporting that the ‘site manager’ for location shooting on the Star Trek film has got into a car accident at the location. TrekMovie.com recently reported that principal photography has ended for film, but some ‘2nd unit’ filming would continue during early April.
UPDATED: more details on accident and location (see below)

From the report:

While crew members declined to comment at the site, there were some unwanted special effects after a head-on crash on Highway 119 in front of the movie set.

The CHP said the site manager tried to turn onto a road where filming was set to take place, but crossed in front of oncoming traffic and hit a truck.

The driver of the truck and passenger in the car were taken to the hospital with moderate injuries.

The crash did not disrupt filming.

They also had this photo:

More info at ABC 23

UPDATE: Not a Paramount Person + Iowa confirmed
TrekMovie.com has spoken to a source close to the production regarding the accident. According to the source the ‘site manager’ is not someone who works for Paramount, but is actually a local official who is in charge of the local site. The accident has had no impact on the filming and apparently the manager and the truck driver are going to be OK

The source also confirmed that the second unit crew are filming scenes that will take place in Iowa (the early home of James T. Kirk). TrekMovie.com had reported (way back in 2007) that Iowa was one of the many locations we will see in the film. None of the principal cast are involved in the Bakersfield shooting and the scenes being shot are the final ones to be done.

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I hope everyone’s ok.

Wow that is bad news. Hope there ok.

I also hope nobody was hurt. This story, however, is indicative of the lack of news about production. Get used to it fans!

Sounds like they were relatively fine (for a given value of fine) but being hit with a truck is never going to be pleasant.

Of course, geekboy here started looking at the picture and wondering whether they had police cars and cranes on the shoot of the 2nd unit crew.

So excuse me while I go out and get myself a little perspective…

Even top secret over the details of someone getting hurt!! I hope whomever those persons are that there is nothing seriously wrong with anyone.

I am sure that most of us can relate that sound of that collision, is something you NEVER forget!! I truly sympathize!! :)

Been in too many crashes myself. To all those involved, you’re in my thoughts and prayers.

Now, for the internet rubberneckers out there, this is the described location:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Enos+Lane,+bakersfield,+california&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=64.497063,82.96875&ie=UTF8&ll=35.264193,-119.248867&spn=0.033148,0.058022&t=h&z=14

#7 – looks like flat, hilly country terrain. possibly like Iowa? I dunno. I’ve never been to Iowa so I wouldn’t know.

Bakersfield is in California. I know, I have the dubious ‘honor’ of living here :(

Sorry y’all, I didn’t see the filming or the accident. Maybe next time.

Getting hit with a truck sucks. I know…
I hope they’re ok. This movie seems to be causing a lot of accidents! John Cho’s wrist, site manager gets into a wreck. What’s next?

A nacelle falling from orbit?

Sounds like the parties involved are OK but got roughed up pretty good, and you’re right, #6 – I got the side of my company van ripped up when I got sideswiped by a DUMP TRUCK last year. From tail light to headlight. You never forget something like that.

This is a job for The Calif. Highway Patrol. Quick — someone call Chris Pine’s dad!

Seriously though , hopefully anyone injured will recover quickly and completely.

I used to live 2 miles from there. They must be filming either a barren planet landscape or the farming days of Kirk’s youth. Either way I can’t wait for this movie!

Glad everyone is ok. Wish I could get a zoom in on that phaser and other field equipment that the extra is wearing….

“Must we?”
“It’s faster than walking.”
“But not as safe…”
“Are you afraid of cars?”
“Not at all. It’s your driving that alarms me.”
“I’ve got the hang of it now.”

Ditto on even a car crash near a location shoot is news because there is NO other news from the shoot.

While I yearn for tid-bits – images and basic story inforamtion to fuel my excitment – I don’t want to know the whole film’s plot line and details.

I want to be surprised.

But the level of security on this production is going to bite JJ’s team sooner or later. The months before release is a LONG post-production time and someone is going to spill the beans and ruin it for everyone.

Good luck to them trying to keep it secret, but I must admit I’d read the spoilers if they came my way.

I just hope it’s good – Lord let the gig be good…

He needs to lay off the Romulan ale…
Sorry for the bad joke Captain but I’m an engineer not a comedian.

Reply to #17

“I just hope it’s good – Lord let the gig be good…”

What does G-D need with a starship?!

Shit! I live in Bakersfield and I had no idea! I’m getting my ass outta bed and heading over there toot-sweet!

Hope everybody’s okay. I wonder what “moderate injuries” entails. Apparently not extensive, but relatively serious? :(

If I remember correctly, Bakersfield also subbed for rural northern Indiana in “North by Northwest”, with a little matte painting work. I dunno, that part of Indiana looks just as desolate today as they portrayed it back then..

#15

Are you talking about the CHP? Because all I can make out are cops and cars. Unless you were making a funny and I didn’t catch on. My emotion chip has been fried today.

The X-Files movie production shot the cornfield scenes in that general area a decade ago.

I have been to Iowa and Bakersfield. I can tell you the Bakersfield area would be the perfect place to shoot the scenes from Jim Kirk’s youth in rural Iowa.

I hope everyone is ok, thats not good to hear.

That fat cop isn’t canon.

As long as no one was hurt. Sometimes these bad omens bode well for good films; “Jaws” was fraught with problems. “The Exorcist” set caught fire. Even an extremely rare storm in Tunisia nearly destroyed the original “Star Wars” set. Let’s hope this is the case here; a minor bad omen for a good film. And #26…THAT was very funny! GREAT post! And do they have CHP cars in the 23rd century?? Better consult my encyclopedia of All Things Trek!

Good one Doug!

I’m sure the location manager just loves all this attention.
Slow trek news day or what???

# 8 and 24 – The part of Iowa where Kirk will be born, Riverside, isn’t that flat. Gently rolling hills with the Iowa River running through it. Very green.

This website – http://www.riversideiowa.org/ – is the offical site of the town of Riverside.

Hey, how about boozing up your sources and getting some juicy stuff out of them like the blue prints to the big E rather than a fender bender confirmation.

I hope all the victims recover quickly.

8. Ryan – April 8, 2008
“#7 – looks like flat, hilly country terrain. possibly like Iowa? I dunno. I’ve never been to Iowa so I wouldn’t know.”

Parts of Iowa are extremely hilly, others flat. I’ve not been to Riverside, but know the rest of the state pretty well.
While I suppose Bakersfield can sub off Iowa, I dislike the thought on principle. The 2nd unit should have come here for a couple days… I even offered to find them locales… and did they listen?
Come to think of it… if they wanted spring / summer Iowa scenes and shoot in the winter months… they are better off staying in SoCal. They would froze their California a*ses off here this past winter. But we coulda subbed for Iceland!

I think the Iowa scenes will be cool. I’m excited that this movie is giving us more of a background history on the Trek characters we know and love from TOS. That could have so many implications.

You know, believe it or not Iowa does have a film organization.

Wow – going all way back to Iowa! Shades of the origins of Superman…

Any news on how the accident victims are doing?

33. John Pemble – April 8, 2008
You know, believe it or not Iowa does have a film organization.

and…. what did you expect? It isn’t all corn, soybeans and barns.

To those of you on these threads who live in Bakersfield, where about are you located? I have cousins who live up there, on Truman Street in the south part of town.

Glad to hear everyone’s alright.

Yes, well said, 38. Hope there are no lasting injuries from this crash and that everyone recovers soon.

Regarding the movie, the location’s being desolate rings a bell, since I’ve driven through Iowa a number of times and can testify to how it looks. Parts of Nebraska, as well, look positively eerie particularly as you cross westward and if it’s sunset. Not a soul for miles around, and the landscape turns from relatively flat to grassy, rolling hills to almost desert scrub. Positively eerie, as I said.

But I’m glad JJ is taking the opportunity to use on-location shots of where James Kirk was raised.

Okay, I just went there and came home and caught the 6 pm news. Apparently the guy in the accident was the location manager for the shoot. He was making a turn or a u-turn and hit an oncoming pickup. The damage didn’t appear fatal and there was no mention of the condition of either party.

I forgot the most important part:

Although I myself didn’t witness it, but according to what I saw on the local news, there was a series of cameras surrounding a vintage 63 or 64 red convertible corvette being driven by a blonde haired woman.- well, the car was fixed on a trailer, the cameras were fixed all around the car, and the trailer was being pulled on a dirt road through the surrounding fields.

Lived just south of Riverside Iowa for almost 20 years … Iowa farmland and Bakersfield will seem indistinguishable from each other by the time the effects teams blend the shots together. Riverside, by the way, is mostly a crossing of two state highways in southeast Iowa, not far from Iowa City, home of the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. It’s got plenty of trees, has hills because of a nearby stream, and is your general small town. The town’s annual June Star Trek-themed festival, complete with parade, are enjoyable for fun’s sake.

#42 John Sloca

Nice to see the Hawkeyes mentioned here!

I live in Iowa City, and would also like to give a shout out to the Hawkeyes.

BTW, anyone remember Shatners’ reality show from SpikeTV? He played a great trick on the town of Riverside that got some people steamed. I think they got over it though, as if I lived there I’d be glad “The Shat” even recognized the mythology in any way.

May we have some real movie news to get excited about soon, it’s killing me.

the shot of the blonde in the corvette is now on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hz8cH-f9NVg

Riverside Iowa is green with rolling hills today. You forget to take into account the bombings of WW3, maybe in Kirk’s time it is a recovering semi desolate, flattened former blast zone.

Hey, work with me here people! :-)

Suck! I could have been there! It would have taken VERY little finagaling to hitch a ride, since Enos is like a five min drive from my house, tops. Damnit all! This is what I get for locking myself in my room with nothing but my computer for a week (I had my reasons). I’m sure everyone is fine, cos we would have heard something, if otherwise. Can’t wait till the movie!