Bus Driver Fatally Hits Pedestrian on Forest Avenue
At 4:17 p.m. on May 15, 2026, a driver heading east on Forest Avenue near Veltman Avenue hit 72-year-old pedestrian Leton Meyers after he fell into the roadway, and police said the driver was not arrested.
What We Know
Leton Meyers, a 72-year-old pedestrian, was killed on Forest Avenue in Staten Island at about 4:17 p.m. on May 15, 2026. Police told the Daily News that Meyers fell into the roadway near Veltman Avenue after a grocery trip and that the driver of an eastbound S48 bus hit him. The official crash record lists the vehicle type as a school bus, while press accounts identify it as an MTA S48 bus. Police said the 43-year-old driver continued east after the collision, stopped after being told what had happened, and was not arrested. The medical examiner ruled Meyers' death an accident caused by blunt-force trauma to the head.
Meyers fell into the roadway before the fatal impact
The crash happened on Forest Avenue in Staten Island at 4:17 p.m. on May 15, 2026. The official record identifies the person killed as a 72-year-old male pedestrian.
Police told the Daily News that Leton Meyers fell into the roadway near Veltman Avenue after a routine grocery run, and that the driver of an eastbound S48 bus hit him.
Records and press accounts describe the bus differently
The official crash record lists the involved vehicle as a 2022 Nova Bus with one occupant and categorizes it as a school bus. Daily News accounts identify it as an MTA S48 bus traveling east on Forest Avenue.
Police said the driver stopped after being alerted
Police said the 43-year-old bus driver continued east after the collision, then stopped after being informed of the crash. The driver was not arrested, and a published account said detectives opened an investigation.
The city medical examiner's office ruled Meyers' cause of death blunt-force trauma to the head and classified the death as an accident.
Family said Meyers may have been disoriented
Meyers lived in West Brighton and was more than two miles from home when he was hit. His daughter, Samantha Meyers, told the Daily News that he likely became disoriented after visiting the grocery store and that there was no indication of intoxication.
Family accounts described Meyers as an immigrant from Belize who left behind children and a grandchild. Relatives told Greater Belize, "His death has shattered our family," and started a GoFundMe to help cover funeral expenses.
Forest Avenue is a busy North Shore corridor
A published context account described Forest Avenue as a busy Staten Island North Shore corridor lined with homes, shops and industrial uses, and carrying local traffic, trucks and multiple bus routes.
The same account cited NYC Department of Transportation project materials describing proposed Vision Zero upgrades on Forest Avenue, including concrete pedestrian refuge islands and new signalized crosswalks intended to shorten crossing distances and slow turning drivers.