The driver involved in the collision which sadly killed Treat Williams has avoided jail time after pleading guilty to a lesser charge.
Williams, 71, sadly died in June 2023 after he collided with another vehicle while riding his motorcycle.
Barry McPherson, his agent of 15 years, broke the news to PEOPLE, stating: "He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off. I'm just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented."
Eyewitness Matt Rapphahn recalled the moment to the Daily Mail, saying: "I saw Treat go flying through the air. The tire was still spinning." Despite wearing a helmet, Williams sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead shortly after being rushed to the hospital.
The driver of the other vehicle, identified as Ryan Koss, emerged unscathed from the collision and was found not to be under the influence of alcohol.
According to police reports, the accident occurred as Koss attempted to turn left into a parking lot, colliding with Williams' oncoming motorcycle.
Koss, 35, faced the court on Friday and pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of negligent driving - receiving a one-year deferred sentence and probation for his role in the accident.
Koss, who knew Williams and considered him a friend, conveyed his apologies to the actor's loved ones and fans. "I'm here to apologize and take responsibility for this tragic accident," he said.
Immediately after the crash, Koss reached out to Williams' wife to inform her of the incident, according to Bennington County State’s Attorney Erica Marthage, per the New York Post.
Williams' son, Gill, addressed Koss during the proceedings, expressing forgiveness and urging him to find peace within himself. "I do forgive you, and I hope that you forgive yourself," he said.
Meanwhile, Williams' daughter, Ellie said: "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."
Despite the anger that she is feeling, Ellie expressed that she one day wants to be able to forgive Koss.
Initially facing a felony charge of gross negligent operation resulting in death, Koss's plea to the reduced charge of negligent driving carries a significantly lesser penalty.
However, if convicted of the initial charge, he could have faced up to 15 years in prison.
Williams's career began in 1975 when he appeared in the thriller Deadly Hero, and from here he only went from strength to strength.
With over 120 credits to his name, he won a Golden Globe for his performance in the 1979 adaptation of Hair, and in 2002 he began his four-year stint on the show Everwood.
