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Treat Williams was “alert” and talking to paramedics before succumbing to his injuries from a motorcyle crash Monday, a witness said.
“He was totally alert, answering questions,” Matt Rapphahn, the owner of Long Trail Auto, which is adjacent to the crash site in Dorset, Vt., told the Daily Mail Wednesday.
Rapphahn said he was standing right outside his shop when the accident occurred.
“I saw Treat go flying through the air,” he recalled, adding that the “Everwood” star was wearing a helmet. “The tire was still spinning.”
Williams was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in New York, where he was pronounced dead at the age of 71.
The actor’s rep, Barry McPherson, confirmed the news Monday night.
“He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off,” McPherson told People. “I’m just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented.”
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“He was an actor’s actor. Filmmakers loved him. He’s been the heart of Hollywood since the late 1970s,” McPherson added. “He was really proud of his performance this year. He’s been so happy with the work that I got him. He’s had a balanced career.”
Shortly after the fatal accident, the Vermont police released a statement with additional details.
Authorities said that “a southbound 2008 Honda Element […] attempted to turn left into a parking lot.”
The initial investigation claimed that the vehicle “stopped, signaled a left turn and then turned into the path of a northbound 1986 Honda VT700c motorcycle operated by Williams.”
Police said Williams “was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle” and “suffered critical injuries.”
Just hours before the “Hair” star’s tragic death, he shared a post on Instagram admiring the scenic views at his countryside farm in Manchester, Vt.
Williams is survived by his wife, Pam Van Sant, whom he married in 1988, and their two children, Gill and Elinor.
