A crew member of The CW's recently cancelled supernatural series The Winchesters is taking legal action against Warner Bros. after being struck by lightning while filming for the show. Bryan DeLorenzo, an assistant camera operator, alleges that the studio failed to follow proper safety measures during a heavy rainstorm, leading to his injury.
According to DeLorenzo's lawsuit, production guidelines state that filming must halt if lightning strikes within a six-mile radius of the set.
The suit claims that the production team was aware of lightning activity in the area less than half an hour before filming began. DeLorenzo asserts that he raised concerns about the weather conditions to higher-level staff members, but was informed that the scene had been modified to include rain at the request of the episode director, John Showalter. Shortly after this conversation, DeLorenzo recounts being next to a camera when a loud noise occurred.
The crew responded by crouching down in fear.
In the midst of the chaos, DeLorenzo was pushed and thrown to the ground. As he regained consciousness, he experienced a burning sensation in his chest and felt as though he had been exposed to an explosion.
His lawsuit alleges that he suffered severe physical injuries and emotional distress, including anxiety, embarrassment, and depression. DeLorenzo is seeking compensation from the show's producers, including Supernatural star Jensen Ackles, for negligence. He is also requesting punitive damages to discourage similar incidents in the future. So far, Warner Bros. has not made any public statements regarding the lawsuit.