A 72-year-old man was killed Friday after he fell into the path of an MTA bus on Forest Avenue near Veltman Avenue in the Port Richmond section of Staten Island, according to police. He was struck by the bus and later pronounced dead at the scene.
As reported by the New York Daily News, police said the man fell in front of the oncoming bus, which then hit him. The bus operator, a 43-year-old man, continued driving and only stopped after being alerted to the collision. Police said the driver was not arrested, and detectives have opened an investigation into what happened.
Where It Happened
Forest Avenue is a busy corridor on Staten Island's North Shore, lined with a mix of homes, shops and industrial uses, and carrying local traffic, trucks and multiple bus routes. The NYC Department of Transportation has proposed Vision Zero safety upgrades on Forest Avenue, including concrete pedestrian refuge islands and new signalized crosswalks intended to shorten crossing distances and slow turning vehicles, according to project materials from the agency (NYC DOT).
Citywide Context
City officials say overall traffic fatalities have been trending downward as more street-safety projects and enforcement tools roll out across the five boroughs. In a recent update, NYC DOT wrote that “so far in 2026, there are fewer road deaths than at this time last year,” crediting street redesigns and automated enforcement while calling for additional measures on high-injury corridors.
Investigation and Next Steps
The NYPD’s Collision Investigation Squad is leading the probe and has asked anyone with video or eyewitness information to come forward, according to reporting by the New York Daily News. The MTA did not immediately issue a statement, and investigators have not said whether bus-camera footage is available.
