I didn’t write about this case as much as I should have. But Randall Miller, director of “Midnight Rider,” the movie that never got made, will go to jail in the death of Sarah Jones. Jones was killed in pre-production of the Greg Allman biopic. Here’s the press release from the DA’s office in Camden County, Georgia. Miller pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and criminal trespass. His wife, Jody Slavin, walked. The pair was also guilty of destroying the legacy of CBGB with a terrible movie they’d made before starting “Midnight Rider.” The Millers, seriously, will never get over this tragedy, and neither will the Jones family. But now safety issues will be all the more heightened on film shoots.
Jackie L. Johnson
DISTRICT ATTORNEY
BRUNSWICK JUDICIAL CIRCUIT
CAMDEN COUNTY OFFICE
PRESS RELEASE
03/10/2015
District Attorney Jackie Johnson announces the resolution of all criminal cases stemming from the
February 20, 2014 death of 27 year-old Sarah Elizabeth Jones of Atlanta. Jones was a camera assistant
working on the film “Midnight Rider.” Jones and several other members of the film crew were located
on the railroad tracks and trestle at Doctortown Landing in Wayne County, when Jones was struck and
killed by an oncoming train. Other crew members were injured, but survived the collision.
On Monday, March 9, 2015, Director Randall Miller entered a plea of guilty in Wayne Superior Court to
Involuntary Manslaughter and Criminal Trespass and was sentenced to serve ten years, with the first two
years to be served in the Wayne County Jail and the remaining eight years on probation. Miller was
ordered to pay a $20,000 fine and perform 360 hours of community service. As a condition of
probation, Miller cannot serve as a Director or in any capacity in which he would be responsible for the
safety of crew members on a film set. Miller was immediately taken into custody by the Wayne County
Sheriff to begin serving his sentence.
Pursuant to the entry of the guilty plea by Miller, charges were dismissed against Miller’s wife, Jody
Savin. Miller and Savin were the owners of Unclaimed Freight Productions, Inc. which was filming
“Midnight Rider”.
On Monday, March 9, 2015, Executive Producer Jay Sedrish also entered a plea of guilty in Wayne
Superior Court to Involuntary Manslaughter and Criminal Trespass. He was sentenced to serve ten
years probation and ordered to pay a $10,000 fine. As a condition of probation, Sedrish cannot serve in
any capacity in which he would be responsible for the safety of crew members on a film set.
On Tuesday, March 10, 2015, First Assistant Director Hillary Schwartz was found guilty after a bench
trial before Superior Court Judge Anthony Harrison. Schwartz was sentenced to ten years probation,
and ordered to pay a $5,000 fine. As a condition of probation, Schwartz cannot serve in any capacity in
which she would be responsible for the safety of crew members on a film set. Schwartz had cooperated
fully with the State, and had agreed to provide testimony at the trial that was scheduled to take place
beginning on Monday, March 9th.
Superior Court Judge Anthony Harrison presided over the proceedings, and pronounced sentence in the
above cases. The parents of Sarah Jones, Richard and Elizabeth Jones, were both present in the
courtroom and addressed the Court prior to sentence in each of the cases.
The District Attorney’s Office would like to thank Detective Joe Gardner and the Wayne County
Sheriff’s Office for their investigation of this case. The District Attorney would also like to thank the
jurors who were available to serve.
