A premiliminary investigation reveals that the incident which led to Joi 'SJ' Harris' death was most likely a 'freak low-speed accident,' as her motorcycle speed never exceeded 10 miles per hour.
- Aug 19, 2017
AceShowbiz - An investigation into the death of "Deadpool 2" stuntwoman Joi "SJ" Harris reveals new details about the accident that led to her tragic death. The preliminary investigation has revealed that the incident was most likely a "freak low-speed accident," with a source close to the production noting to Deadline that Harris' motorcycle speed never exceeded 10 miles per hour.
An investigation report by WorkSafeBC, British Columbia's version of the U.S. government's Occupational Safety and Health Administration, dated August 15, found that "a temporary worksite had been setup to record a film scene for a movie production. The site had been cordoned off from general public and traffic by the Vancouver Police Department."
"The worker had been rehearsing a stunt scene that involved driving a motorcycle, Dictate 939 Hyperstrada, out of the open doors of a building, across a concrete pad and down a ramp that had been built over three stairs and coming to a stop on the stair landing," it continued.
The report added, "During the first shooting of the scene the stunt driver continued driving beyond the planned stopping spot on the stairway landing, and continued to drive down a second ramp built over the bottom stairs and across the roadway. The motorcycle struck the concrete sidewalk curb, the worker was thrown off the motorcycle and propelled through a plate glass window of a building."
WorkSafeBC has said that more detailed information will come out after all the witnesses are interviewed and the full investigation is completed. According to Deadline, the crash happened in second unit photography after Harris had completed five takes of her stunt on the "Deadpool" sequel. It was after the sixth take that the motorcycle hit the sidewalk curb.
"In the maneuver, which was never more than 15 kilometers per hour - [a little less than] 10 miles an hour - she rode on a flat surface through two open doors and then turned left and went out of camera range," said the source close to the production. "Her exit was a safety ramp to a big platform where the bike was supposed to stop, but she overshot the platform, hit a curb, and was thrown from the bike through a glass window." Harris reportedly was not wearing a helmet during the stunt work.
It was Harris' first job as a stuntwoman, although she was an experienced motorcycle rider and semi-professional road racer. The source also denied rumors that she was not qualified for the job, and was hired only because she was black and was doubling for an actress of mixed race. "To say an unqualified person was put in this position is absolutely untrue," the source said. "She was the best candidate for the job."
Harris died Monday morning on the set of the 20th Century Fox film in Vancouver. Production on the film was halted immediately after the accident and resumed on Wednesday, when Ryan Reynolds led the "Deadpool 2" crew in a moment of silence.
