After Treat Williams’ motorcycle collided with an SUV, his daughter claimed she was “absolutely shattered” by his passing. Police say the SUV’s driver wasn’t intoxicated.
Ellie Williams, 25, posted a bereaved post on Instagram along with an old photo of her father and a close-up of the name tag on a bomber jacket that bears his name.
It comes after Vermont State Police investigators determined that the horrifying collision’s driver, Ryan Koss, was not intoxicated.
The 71-year-old actor’s only child, Ellie, who was nominated for a Golden Globe along with his wife Pam, detailed her ‘deep sadness’ following his passing.
“This is a pain I have never experienced,” she wrote. “I’m completely exhausted. We appreciate everyone who has thought of our family during this horrible heartbreak and sent us greetings.”
Meanwhile, Vermont State Police gave an update to the press on Tuesday as the law enforcement continues to investigate what happened.
According to the Boston Globe, Lieutenant Steven Coote said investigators have not yet formally determined who is to blame for the crash.
He added that Koss, 35, from Pownal in the south-western corner of Vermont, was screened, and cops ‘determined there wasn’t any evidence of impairment.’
The driver of the 2008 Honda Element was also “checked by medical personnel at the scene for minor injuries,” but no hospitalization was required.
Detectives have “utilized tools and technology” in the investigation, including a drone fly and “old-fashioned crash investigation stuff” like on-scene photos, Coote continued.
Although he could not provide reporters an “exact timeframe” for when the investigation is expected to be finished, he told reporters that he hoped to “have some more answers soon.”
Williams would not have been able to avoid the crash, according to a report from the police.
Following the deadly collision, William’s 1986 Honda VT700c motorcycle sustained “front-end damage,” while Koss’ automobile sustained significant front-end damage to the passenger side.
In the Morse Hill Road neighborhood of Dorset, southwest Vermont, Koss’ car struck the Everwood actor while riding his $3,500 bike in the northbound lane of Route 30.
At the time, Williams was wearing a helmet and was attended to by paramedics at the scene before being flown to Albany Medical Center in New York, where he was later declared dead.
In 12 years, there have only been five occurrences on that stretch of road, according to data gathered by the Vermont Agency of Transportation, with three resulting in injuries but only Williams being declared dead.
The Vermont State Police Crash Reconstruction Team is still working to reconstruct what happened before the collision.
Just hours before the tragedy, Williams, best known for his roles in Everwood and Hair, enjoyed his weekend mowing the lawn at his $1 million Vermont home.
He was married to the actress Pam Van Sant, with whom he had two daughters, Gille and Ellie. He frequently showed off his ideal country life on social media for his followers.
Treat Williams began his professional acting career in his 20s after graduating from Franklin & Marshall College. He was born in 1951 in Rowayton, Connecticut.
Williams shot to fame after his debut role in the thriller Deadly Hero in 1975. He also performed in 1976’s The Ritz and The Eagle Has Landed.
In 1979, he starred as George Berger in the film Hair, which was based on the Broadway musical.
It was the role which earned him his first Golden Globe nomination for New Star of the Year – and two years later, he got his second nomination for his acting in Prince of The City.
He also played Dr. Andrew Brown in Everwood – and he received two SAG Award nominations for his work on the show.
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 at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit.
