Actor Treat Williams died in a motorcycle accident in Dorset yesterday.
The Vermont State Police is investigating a crash between an SUV and a motorcycle Monday afternoon, June 12 in Dorset in which Williams, the operator of the motorcycle, suffered fatal injuries.
State police say Richard Treat Williams, 71, was a resident of Manchester Center.
The crash occurred at about 4:53 p.m. Monday on Vermont Route 30 just north of Morse Hill Road when a southbound 2008 Honda Element driven by Ryan M. Koss, 35, of Pownal attempted to turn left into a parking lot. Initial investigation indicates the Element stopped, signaled a left turn, and then turned into the path of a northbound 1986 Honda VT700c motorcycle operated by Williams.
Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, where he was pronounced dead. Koss was checked by medical personnel at the scene for minor injuries and was not transported to a hospital.
The investigation into this crash is in its early stages. A member of the Vermont State Police Crash Reconstruction Team was on scene Monday evening, and team members will return to the location of the collision Tuesday, June 13, to continue processing the scene.
Williams Wikipedia bio reads:
“Richard Treat Williams was an American actor, author, writer, and aviator who appeared on film, stage, and television. He has over 120 credits to his name. He first became well known for his starring roles in two 1979 films, the musical Hair and Steven Spielberg’s 1941. He later starred in the films The Eagle Has Landed, Prince of the City, Once Upon a Time in America, The Late Shift, and 127 Hours. From 2002 to 2006, he was the lead of the television series Everwood and was nominated for two Screen Actors Guild Awards. He was nominated for three Golden Globe Awards, two Satellite Awards, and an Independent Spirit Award.
Williams lived in Park City, Utah, and Manchester Center, with his wife, Pam Van Sant, and two children, Gille and Ellie. He was a licensed pilot and flight instructor who often flew his family to and from their homes.
Koss is Managing Creative Director of the Dorset Theater Festival.
Any witnesses to the crash or those with information about the incident are asked to call the Vermont State Police Shaftsbury Barracks at 802-442-5421 or leave an anonymous tip online.
Photo credit Wikipedia.