Starz Crew Member Killed on ‘Power’ Set, Series Production Halted

Production has reportedly been shut down on the Starz series Power, after an accident left a production assistant dead on Monday.

Long-time Power production assistant Pedro Jimenez passed away in the early hours of Monday morning, according to a report by Deadline. He was on location in Brooklyn, New York setting up parking cones when an SUV fatally struck him. The driver was also working for the show.

The production shut down immediately, according to a spokesperson from Starz. The network is working with the New York City Police Department to get a clear report on the accident.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of one of the members of our Power family,” they said. “Our thoughts are with Mr. Jimenez’ family as we work to fully understand what has happened.”

Jimenez was 63 years old. He had been working on Power since the series debuted in 2014. The driver has reportedly spoken to police, but there is no word on how they will be treated in this ordeal. The car was a 2006 Ford Explorer.

Jimenez was reportedly brought to Brooklyn Hospital, where he was pronounced dead not long afterward. His family was informed almost immediately, and Power decided to stop production for the day out of respect. The cast and crew took the time to deal with the sudden and shocking loss.

None of the cast members were on set for the accident, as their call time was not until 7 a.m.

Power was already close to its mid-season holiday break, so some are speculating that it will cancel production until 2019. There is no official word however, and it could resume much sooner. Power was created by Courtney Kemp and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson. It stars Omari Hardwick, Naturi Naughton, Lela Loren and Joseph Sikora.

The show follows an infamous drug dealer by the name of Ghost (Hardwick,) who attempts to leave his life of crime behind to focus solely on his endeavor as a nightclub owner. At the same time, he deals with encroaching law enforcement and a broken marriage, all while trying to stay financially afloat.

Power finished airing its fifth season back in September. By then, it had already been renewed for a season 6 by Starz. The show has been filming with the goal of airing in July. This new on-set tragedy could push that time line back.