Winchesters crew member sues Supernatural spinoff after getting hit by lightning

And now, in “Act of…Somebody?” news: A crew member on The CW’s now-canceled supernatural (and Supernatural) series The Winchesters is suing Warner Bros., after he was struck by lightning while filming on the short-lived show.

Specifically (per THR), assistant camera operator Bryan DeLorenzo is suing the studio for not following proper safety measures in response to extreme weather, claiming he was struck by lightning after episode director John Showalter decided to film in the midst of a heavy rainstorm after a number of shooting delays. According to DeLorenzo’s lawsuit, production is required to shut down if lightning strikes in a six-mile radius of filming location; the suit alleges that production knew, or should have known, that lightning had been occurring in the area where they were filming less than 30 minutes before they began to film.

In the suit, DeLorenzo says he raised issues with filming to higher-ups on the set, and was told that the scene had been shifted to be a rain scene at Showalter’s request. Then, “Within ten minutes of this conversation, Plaintiff was standing next to a camera when a loud ‘boom’ occurred. The crew was scared and crouched down to protect themselves. During the commotion, Plaintiff was pushed and thrown down to the ground. Plaintiff saw a bright white light and then lightning struck him, knocking him unconscious. When Plaintiff awoke, his chest burned, and he felt like an explosion had occurred.”

DeLorenzo is suing the show’s producers, including Supernatural star Jensen Ackles, for negligence, citing “serious physical injuries, pain, discomfort, anxiety, extreme emotional distress, embarrassment, humiliation, depression, shock, and injury to his person.” He is also seeking punitive damages “in an amount sufficient to punish and deter similar future conduct.”

So far, Warner Bros. has yet to publicly comment on the case.