'Rust' Woes Continue As Crew Member May Need Arm Amputated After Venomous Spider Bite On Set

The production for Alec Baldwin's western movie Rust faced another distressing setback following last month's tragic accidental shooting.

This time, production crew member Jason Miller was hospitalized after being bitten by a brown recluse spider. He now faces the possible amputation of his arm.

According to a GoFundMe set up in his name, Miller, who is an IATSE Local 480 pipe rigger and lamp operator on the wrap team for the film, experienced "severe symptoms including necrosis of his arm and sepsis" in a matter of days since being bit by the venomous spider on the New Mexico set.

A bite from a brown recluse is very dangerous, as the injected venom destroys cell membranes, leading to the breakdown of skin, fat, and blood vessels.

It can ultimately cause necrosis, the premature death of cells in an organ or tissue.

According to Plunkett's, a brown recluse bite can inflict "significant or even life-threatening damage," with symptoms including pain, ulcers, fever, chills, nausea, joint pain, or even seizures.

Miller's GoFundMe description read:

"He has been hospitalized and endured multiple surgeries each day as doctors do their best to stop the infection and try to save his arm from amputation."

The campaign organizer said the road to recovery will be a long one if the medical team is able to save his arm.

However, they added:

"If under worse circumstances he loses his arm, this is a life-changing and devastating event for Jason and his family."

"For any who are able to support and offer contributions to help Jason get through this painful and challenging time, it would be incredibly helpful and greatly appreciated."

To date, the campaign has reached $12,422, surpassing its $5,000 goal.

Baldwin said he was cooperating with authorities in an ongoing investigation after he accidentally discharged a live round and killed 42-year-old cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and injured director Joel Souza on the Rust movie set over two weeks ago.

He was informed he was given a prop gun, which refers to a movie prop firearm that could be fake or functional, for the scene in which his character was scripted to pull a gun out of his holster while backing out of a church.