JoAnn Watson Apologizes to Film Crew

DETROIT (myFOXDetroit.com) - Filming of "Red Dawn" comes to a screeching halt on the streets of Detroit, but it wasn't a production problem. Detroit City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson suddenly stepped into the spotlight.

Through the grainy cell phone video you can see a woman park her city-owned car on the multi-million dollar remake of "Red Dawn".

"Nobody else was allowed down there for the scene. She parked in front of some of the cars that were on the scene. People in the movie asked her repeatedly to leave, and she dismissed those requests," said witness Greg Smith.

The woman in the video is City Councilwoman JoAnn Watson. Instead of moving her car, witnesses say Watson had a Detroit police officer escort her into the bank, halting production for several minutes.

We asked Watson why she didn't park elsewhere. She responded, "I was unaware... that I was impeding anything, and when I was advised that there was something about to happen in the area, I said, 'Can I take five minutes and go to the bank?'"

Councilwoman Watson eventually came out and left. Watson told me on the phone she was unaware she parked in the middle of a movie production.

"I had no idea. I thought... there had been an incident when I saw the crowd," Waston said. "I thought there been some emergency, something. I was wondering what was going on."

After we told her about the video, Watson says she felt so bad about what happened she came down to the set to apologize in person to the crew. However, when it came time to talk to FOX 2 on camera, Watston turned us down.

The publicist for the "Red Dawn" movie tells FOX 2 this was a non-issue. But those watching beg to differ, especially in a city that desperately needs the movie industry.

"I think she overstepped her bounds perhaps a little bit. Saying that you just didn't know doesn't cut it. You would think you'd want to be as accommodating as possible as opposed to having them wait," said witness Raymond Chmielewski.

Watson wants to make it clear the last thing she wanted to do was cause a problem for anyone, especially a movie production bringing business to the city of Detroit.