Actor Treat Williams was killed in a June crash that was caused by reckless driving, and a Vermont man entered a guilty plea to a reduced charge of that offense on Friday.
Ryan Koss, 35, who was acquainted with Williams, received a one-year deferred sentence, a one-year driving license suspension as part of his probation, and a community restorative justice program to fulfill in relation to the misdemeanor charge.
On June 12, while turning left into a parking lot in a Honda SUV, Koss collided with Williams’ motorcycle as it was approaching from the Dorset side, according to authorities. Wearing a helmet, Williams, 71, of Manchester Center, was taken to Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, where authorities said he was declared deceased after suffering serious injuries.
According to Bennington County State’s Attorney Erica Marthage, Koss called Williams’ wife after the crash to inform her of what had happened. Koss has accepted responsibility for the accident since the beginning.
During the tearful session on Friday, Koss expressed regret and sent his sympathies to Williams’ family and supporters. For years, Williams was regarded as a friend and a part of the close-knit group by the managing creative director of the Vermont-based Dorset Theatre Festival.
He told the court, “I’m here to apologize and take responsibility for this tragic accident.”
Gill, 32, the son of Williams, spoke with Koss face-to-face while donning his father’s jacket. They had met prior to the collision. According to him, the family did not want Koss to face legal action or go to jail.
He said, “I hope you forgive yourself as much as I have forgiven you.” However, he also said, “I sincerely hope you didn’t murder my father. It was something I had to say.
According to Gill Williams, their father was “everything” to them and a remarkable individual who experienced life to the fullest; as a result, Gill says it’s difficult to know what to do with him moving forward.
Gill Williams said that his father had given him the motorcycle the day before the collision and that he was “the safest person in the world.”
He urged people to drive much more carefully and to keep an eye out for motorbikes, saying that it would be extremely difficult for something like this to occur due to someone’s carelessness. Read aloud were statements from Williams’s daughter and wife, Pam, who were not present at the court hearing.
In her statement, Pam Williams expressed her hope that Koss may forgive himself and acknowledged that it was an unfortunate accident.
Pam Williams said, “Our lives will never be the same, our family has been torn apart, and there is a huge hole that can’t possibly be filled.”
Ellie Williams, Koss’s daughter, stated in her statement that she hopes to forgive her father in the future, but for now she is too sad and outraged to do so.
A victim’s advocate read the victim’s statement, saying, “I will never get to feel my father’s hug again; be able to get his advice again, introduce him to my future husband, have him walk me down the aisle, introduce him to my babies, and have him cry when I name my first son after him.”
In response to a felony accusation of gross negligence that resulted in death, Koss initially entered a not guilty plea. He might have received a term of up to 15 years in jail if he had been found guilty of that crime.
Throughout his nearly 50-year career, Richard Treat Williams starred in the films “Hair” and the television series “Everwood.” He starred in over 120 television and motion picture productions, such as “Once Upon a Time in America,” “The Eagle Has Landed,” and “Prince of the City.”
- WWE Stars Rally Behind Bianca Belair, Condemning Racist Comments and Standing Up for Inclusivity
- The Walking Dead Takes to Boston for Filming, Seeking Extras to Join the Apocalypse
- International Women’s Day: Advancing Gender Equity in Music Requires Action, Not Just Recognition
- The Jonas Brothers Delight Fans in Australia with Adorable Rendition of a Beloved Kids’ Song: ‘Oh, Biscuits’ Indeed!
- Remembering Steve Lawrence: Half of Beloved Stage Duo Steve & Eydie, Entertainer and Singer, Passes Away at 88