Watch Trial of Midnight Rider: Railroaded In The Deep South 736c3o

The mill's manager watched the shoot from a golf cart nearby, confirmed after the accident by two independent witnesses, one of whom observed him fleeing the scene of the crime. Oddly, law enforcement never takes the manager's statement, or indeed a statement from the train's crew. Then, after the accident, the investigating detective goes on an uncharacteristic buying spree.

The film company never hid its intention to shoot on the railroad tracks. The pulp mill's representative even accompanied of the film crew onto the trestle bridge to check the location's suitability, which she denied. Numerous discussions between the mill and the railroad followed. But then the accident happens and suddenly no one knows anything about it.

A camera assistant lies dead beside the railroad tracks and everyone runs for cover. The train engineer never applied the brakes, the location manager lies about obtaining permission to be on the tracks, and the representative from the pulp mill is also caught in a web of untruths. Wayne County Law Enforcement chooses to ignore the obvious and instead focuses the blame on the film director.