The driver who killed Treat Williams has pled guilty to negligent driving.
Driver who fatally injured Treat Williams pleads guilty to negligent driving
Following his guilty plea, Ryan Koss, 35, received a one-year deferred sentence and will be placed on probation.
His licence will be revoked for one year, and he will be required to attend a community restorative justice programme, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Koss, who knew Williams, 71, said in court: "I’m here to apologise and take responsibility for this tragic accident. And I hope this moment can bring some resolution to anyone impacted by this tragedy, especially to Pam, Gill and Ellie, I’m so sorry."
According to County State’s Attorney Erica Marthage, Koss called Willaims' wife after the accident to tell her what had happened and he took responsibility for the accident.
Williams' son Gill attended the hearing and addressed Koss directly.
He said: "I do forgive you, and I hope that you forgive yourself. I really wish you hadn’t killed my father. I really had to say that.”
He added that the Williams family did not want Koss to go to prison or to press charges against him.
A statement from Treat's wife Pam Van Sant was read out in court and she 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."
His daughter Ellie Williams said in a statement: "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."
She revealed that she was not ready to forgive Koss but hoped to be able to do so in the future.
During the July 12 incident, Treat was “unable to avoid a collision” when his $3,500 1986 Honda VT700c bike crashed into a 2008 Honda Element driven by Koss as it cut across the northbound lane of Route 30 in the Morse Hill Road area of Dorset, south-west Vermont.
Authorities determined Williams' cause of death, stating that the actor died due to "severe trauma and blood loss" from the crash.
The actor was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident and was treated at the scene by paramedics before being rushed to hospital via helicopter, where he was pronounced dead.