Driver in Crash That Killed Treat Williams Pleads Guilty to Reduced Charge
March 8 2024, Published 6:17 p.m. ET
The driver involved in the fatal crash that killed actor Treat Williams in Vermont last year pleaded guilty on Friday to a reduced charge of negligent driving with death resulting, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Ryan Koss, who knew Williams through the local theater community and considered him a friend, received a one-year deferred sentence, which means he will not go to prison. As part of his probation, his driver's license will be revoked for a year.
Koss previously pleaded not guilty to a charge of "grossly negligent operation with death resulting" following the fatal crash that killed Williams.
As RadarOnline.com reported, Koss was behind the wheel of a Honda Element SUV on June 12, 2023, when he turned left and collided with Williams, who was driving a motorcycle.
Williams was thrown from his bike and suffered critical injuries. The actor was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in New York, where he was later pronounced dead due to "severe trauma and blood loss as a result of the crash." He was 71.
Koss made a left turn and collided with Williams' motorcycle, killing him.
After the accident, Koss reportedly called Williams' wife to tell her what had happened.
"I made a left turn that collided with an oncoming motorcycle, and it was my responsibility from avoiding that from happening," Koss told the court on Friday. "I'm here to apologize and take responsibility for this tragic accident."
In court, Koss apologized to Williams' family for his part in the accident.
Gill Williams, the late actor's son, addressed Koss directly in the courtroom. "I've spent months now thinking of all the things that could be hurtful, and I don't want to do that," he said. "I do forgive you, and I hope you forgive yourself, and I don't want you to go to prison."
Emotional statements from Williams' wife, Pam, and daughter Ellie were read aloud as they did not attend the hearing. "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," Pam wrote in her statement.
Williams' family said that they forgave Koss and urged him to "forgive yourself."
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Koss had originally pleaded not guilty to a felony charge of gross negligent operation with death resulting. He could have been sentenced to up to 15 years in prison if he had been convicted of that charge.
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