Actor Treat Williams killed in motorcycle crash: 'He was the nicest guy'

Treat Williams, an actor who earned industry acclaim for his work in Hollywood and on Broadway, was killed in a motorcycle accident not far from his home in Vermont. He was 71.

Just before 5 p.m. on Monday, Williams was driving along VT Route 30 in Dorset, Vermont, just east of the New York border, on a vintage motorcycle, a 1986 Honda VT700c. Route 30 is just two lanes, and a driver in a 2008 Honda Element was in the opposite lane looking to make a left turn into a parking lot.

Suddenly, the driver, later identified as 35-year-old Ryan Koss of Pownal, turned right in front of Williams. According to a report from the Vermont State Police, "Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle." Williams was critically injured in the crash and was quickly airlifted to a hospital in Albany, New York, about 60 miles away, where he was soon pronounced dead.

The VSP report stated that Koss had stopped and signaled the turn appropriately. Koss suffered "minor injuries" in the incident and was treated at the scene. No arrests have been made in connection to the crash, though police are still conducting an investigation into it.

On Monday evening, Barry McPherson, Williams' agent, confirmed the news of Williams' passing. "He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off. I'm just devastated," McPherson said. "He was the nicest guy. He was so talented.

"He was an actor's actor. Filmmakers loved him. He's been the heart of Hollywood since the late 1970s. ... He's had a balanced career," the agent continued.

Williams' family likewise issued a statement. "As you can imagine, we are shocked and greatly bereaved at this time. Treat was full of love for his family, for his life and for his craft, and was truly at the top of his game in all of it," the statement said in part.

"We are beyond devastated and ask that you respect our privacy as we deal with our grief. To all his fans, please know that Treat appreciated all of you and please continue to keep him in your hearts and prayers."

Williams, indeed, had ingratiated himself with audiences and fellow actors after decades in the business. He secured a few film roles before a breakout performance in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical hit "Hair" in 1979. In the years that followed, he worked with Hollywood A-listers such as John Travolta, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, and director Steven Spielberg and earned two Golden Globe nominations.

In the early 2000s, he starred in the hit WB series "Everwood," for which he received two SAG Award nominations. Most recently, he made several appearances alongside legendary actor Tom Selleck in the TV cop drama "Blue Bloods," including on an episode that aired just a few weeks ago. He also appeared on the Hallmark Channel's "Chesapeake Shores," which concluded its run last fall.

Born Richard Treat Williams in December 1951, Williams grew up in Connecticut and played some college football at Franklin and Marshall College before joining a theater group in Pennsylvania. In 1988, he married actress Pam Van Sant, and the two had two children, Gille and Ellie. As he grew older, he seemed to appreciate the quiet New England life.

"I had an idyllic childhood, but I didn’t initially realize how idyllic it truly was until I grew older," he said in an interview a couple years ago. "Our back yard was the Long Island Sound. My mother had a little sailing and swimming school. I taught at her school, and I used to race blue jay and lightning boats on the sound."

In recent years, Williams often regaled his social media followers with posts about his life in his $1 million Vermont farmhouse. On Thursday, he tweeted about throwing a stick with his dog, Woody. In his final message before the fatal crash, he posted a picture of his extensive property along with a small glimpse of a tractor mower. "Mowing today," he said in the caption. "Wish I could bottle the scent."

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