Ryan Koss is the Vermont theater director who was driving the SUV that struck and killed actor Treat Williams in June 2023. He pleaded guilty in March 2024 to a misdemeanor count of negligent operation with death resulting and received a one-year deferred sentence, meaning no jail time so long as he complies with probation conditions.1VTDigger. Driver in Crash That Killed Treat Williams Gets 1 Year of Probation
What Happened on Route 30
On June 12, 2023, Koss, then 35, was driving a Honda Element north on Route 30 in Dorset, Vermont. Just north of Morse Hill Road, he attempted to turn left into a parking lot. Vermont State Police found that he stopped, signaled, and then pulled into the path of Williams’ oncoming 1986 Honda motorcycle.2ABC7. Treat Williams Killed in Motorcycle Accident Williams, 71 and wearing a helmet, was thrown from the bike and airlifted to Albany Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. The New York medical examiner determined the cause of death was severe trauma and blood loss.3Los Angeles Times. Treat Williams Cause of Death, Driver Charged
The two men knew each other. Koss was the managing creative director of the Dorset Theatre Festival, and Williams was part of the same local theater community. Koss later said he had known Williams for years and considered him a friend, and he called Williams’ wife directly after the crash to tell her what had happened.4Today. Driver Pleads Not Guilty in Crash That Killed Treat Williams5Deadline. Treat Williams Fatal Crash Driver Pleads Guilty, Gets Deferred Sentence
From Felony to Misdemeanor
In August 2023, Koss was charged with grossly negligent operation with death resulting, a felony under 23 V.S.A. § 1091(b) that carries up to 15 years in prison and a $15,000 fine.6Vermont General Assembly. 23 V.S.A. § 1091 – Negligent Operation; Grossly Negligent Operation He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment in Bennington Superior Court that September.7Manchester Journal. I Do Forgive You, I Hope You Forgive Yourself
By late February 2024, prosecutors and the defense had reached an agreement. The felony was reduced to a misdemeanor negligent-operation charge under the same statute, which carries a maximum of two years.8VTDigger. Dorset Man to Plead Guilty to Misdemeanor in Crash That Killed Actor Treat Williams On March 8, 2024, Koss pleaded guilty before Judge Kerry Ann McDonald-Cady. In court he said, “I made a left turn that collided with an oncoming motorcycle, and it was my responsibility from avoiding that from happening.”9News10. Driver Charged in Crash That Killed Actor Treat Williams Accepts Plea Deal
Bennington County State’s Attorney Erica Marthage cited four reasons for the deal: Koss had no criminal history, there was no evidence he was distracted, he accepted responsibility immediately, and the Williams family supported the agreement.1VTDigger. Driver in Crash That Killed Treat Williams Gets 1 Year of Probation
The Sentence
Koss received a one-year deferred sentence. The conditions include a one-year revocation of his driver’s license, completion of a community restorative justice program within six months, and mental health screening with any prescribed treatment to follow.10Reformer. I Do Forgive You, I Hope You Forgive Yourself If he completes probation successfully, the conviction will be expunged. A violation exposes him to up to two years in jail.1VTDigger. Driver in Crash That Killed Treat Williams Gets 1 Year of Probation
What the Williams Family Said
The family’s statements at the sentencing hearing were not uniform. Williams’ son, Gill Williams, addressed Koss directly. “You killed me that day, in some way,” he said, before telling Koss, “I do forgive you. And I hope you forgive yourself.” He said the family did not want Koss to go to prison or face criminal charges.11People. Treat Williams Fatal Crash Driver Pleads Guilty
Williams’ wife, Pam Van Sant, submitted a written statement read aloud by a victim advocate. She called the collision “a tragic accident” and wrote, “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.” She added that she believed Koss was suffering too: “I pray for that for you, as well, Ryan.”7Manchester Journal. I Do Forgive You, I Hope You Forgive Yourself
Williams’ daughter, Ellie Williams, was less willing. She wrote that she had planned to say she did not hate Koss and to urge him to forgive himself, but could not mean it. “I hope that I can forgive you in the future, but I am too angry and hurt now,” she wrote, listing what she had lost: her father’s hug, introducing him to a future husband, having him walk her down the aisle, meeting her children.7Manchester Journal. I Do Forgive You, I Hope You Forgive Yourself
Who Ryan Koss Is
Koss and his husband, Will Rucker, moved from New York City to Vermont full-time in 2018 and bought a home in Dorset in 2020. Koss had worked with the Dorset Theatre Festival since about 2018, first as a seasonal manager and then as marketing director. In May 2023, weeks before the crash, he was promoted to managing creative director; the festival’s board chair credited him with helping keep the organization alive through the pandemic.12Manchester Journal. Dorset Theatre Festival Promotes Will Rucker, Ryan Koss to Top Leadership Roles Before Vermont, he performed at Radio City Music Hall, Planet Hollywood Resort in Las Vegas, and off-Broadway and regional venues.13BroadwayWorld. Dorset Theatre Festival Appoints New Executive Artistic Director and Managing Creative Director