Driver charged in actor Treat Williams' death pleads not guilty to negligence

Sept. 25 (UPI) -- A Vermont man charged in connection with the death of actor Treat Williams in a June motorcycle crash pleaded not guilty to gross negligence in an initial court appearance on Monday.

Ryan Koss, 35, entered the plea during an arraignment hearing in Bennington County Superior Court, the Brattleboro, Vt., Reformer and WPTZ-TV in Burlington reported.

During the hearing, Koss and his attorney pleaded not guilty to the single count leveled against him by state prosecutors, who contend Koss was driving recklessly when a motorcycle driven by the 71-year-old Williams ran into his 2008 Honda Element outside of an auto repair shop in Dorset, Vt., on June 12.

The Vermont State Police said in a release the crash happened at about 4:53 p.m. on State Route 30 when Koss' vehicle attempted to turn left into the auto shop's parking lot. An initial investigation indicated he stopped, signaled a left turn, and then turned into the path of Williams' northbound 1986 Honda motorcycle.

Police said Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle, suffering critical injuries. He was airlifted to Albany, N.Y., Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Koss, who is managing creative director of the Dorset Theatre Festival, was checked by medical personnel at the scene for minor injuries and was not transported to a hospital.

A citation issued to Koss by state police held him responsible for Williams' death due to "grossly negligent" operation of a motor vehicle.

In a statement issued to media outlets last month through his attorney, Ian Carleton, Koss claimed he is "devastated" by Williams' death.

"I have known Treat for years, both as a member of this tight-knit community and fellow theater maker. I considered him a friend," he said. "I know his family feels his sudden loss even more deeply than I do, and I offer my sincerest condolences to them."

Williams, who had more than 120 film and television credits to his name, is probably best known for his role as small town doctor and single dad Dr. Andy Brown in The WB Network series Everwood running from 2002 to 2006, for which he was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award.

His memorable breakthrough role came in director Milos Forman's 1979 film adaptation of the Broadway musical Hair, in which he played George Berger, the leader of a close-knit tribe of hippies living in New York City's Central Park.