Staten Island, NY (October 11, 2026) – A bicyclist and an ambulance collided around 10:35 p.m. on October 11 near Richmond Avenue and Christopher Lane in Staten Island’s Graniteville neighborhood, officials said. The bicyclist, a man in his 40s, was killed.
Authorities said the man was riding southbound in the northbound lanes of Richmond Avenue. He collided with an ambulance that was traveling southbound and beginning to make a left turn onto Christopher Lane.
The impact threw the man from his bike and onto the roadway. He suffered head and body trauma and was taken to Richmond University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
Officials said the 58-year-old ambulance driver remained at the scene. The ambulance was not transporting a patient or responding to an emergency at the time of the crash. The man’s name was not included in the information available so far.
This is a developing story. Details may change as the investigation continues.
What Families Can Do After a Fatal Bicycle Crash in New York
The Mayor’s Management Report counted four traditional bicyclist deaths in New York City in Fiscal 2025, the same number as in Fiscal 2024. Fiscal 2025 ran from July 2024 through June 2025.
NYC DOT recorded 13 traffic deaths on Staten Island in 2025, up from 12 in 2024.
- Ask the investigating officers for the crash report number and the name of the unit handling the case. Ask Richmond University Medical Center how the family can request his records, which document his injuries and the time of death.
- Keep the bicycle, helmet, and clothing exactly as they are. Do not clean, repair, or discard anything, and ask the investigating officers where each item is being held.
- Order several certified copies of the death certificate, since estate and insurance matters will call for them.
- Route insurance calls to one family member or to an attorney, and sign no release or recorded statement before you understand it.
- Track funeral costs, medical bills, and lost income. Keep a log of every call with investigators, insurers, and the hospital, with dates and names.
- Hold off on public posts about the crash, and ask relatives and friends to do the same.
When an Ambulance Is Involved in a Fatal Bicycle Crash in New York
State law gives drivers of authorized emergency vehicles added leeway only during an emergency operation. Even then, the driver must use due regard for the safety of others (Vehicle and Traffic Law § 1104). Officials said this ambulance was not transporting a patient or responding to an emergency, so an attorney examines whether those protections apply at all.
Who owns and runs the ambulance decides where the claim goes. If a city agency or public hospital system is the operator, New York requires notice of claim within 90 days (Gen. Mun. Law § 50-e). Counted from October 11, 2026, that date is January 9, 2027.
After a death, the family can bring a wrongful death claim for the financial losses the death caused. The estate can bring a survival claim for the rider’s own losses before his death. A personal representative appointed by the Surrogate’s Court brings both, so opening the estate is an early step.
- Who may be liable: The ambulance driver, the operator that owns or employs the driver, and any other party whose conduct contributed.
- What evidence decides it: Vehicle and dispatch records, camera footage along Richmond Avenue, reconstruction findings, and witness accounts.
- Comparative fault: CPLR § 1411(b) bars recovery in covered motor vehicle injury cases when a claimant’s fault exceeds the defendants’ combined fault. An attorney checks whether it reaches this claim and how direction of travel is weighed.
- Deadline: A wrongful death claim must be filed within two years of the date of death (EPTL § 5-4.1). Counting conservatively from October 11, 2026, that is October 11, 2028.
Frekhtman & Associates Bicycle Accident Lawyers Serving Staten Island
Frekhtman & Associates has represented injured New Yorkers for more than 25 years. Founding attorney Arkady Frekhtman is rated 9.8 out of 10 (Superb) on Avvo and was named to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 in 2017. Clients rate the firm 4.8 stars across more than 155 Google reviews.
Our New York bicycle accident attorneys represent riders hurt in crashes and families who have lost someone. That includes wrongful death claims against drivers, vehicle operators, and public agencies.
Evidence that vanishes first gets preserved first. Insurers and agencies deal with us, not with the family. Reconstruction experts come in early, and we try the case when an offer is not fair.
Families do not need to decide anything on a first call.
Staten Island families deciding who should handle a fatal bicycle crash claim can check the Frekhtman & Associates record first:
- $900M+ recovered for injured New York clients across more than 25 years of practice
- $69,225,000 auto accident jury verdict, one of the largest in New York State history
- Free 24/7 consultations, including home and hospital visits for clients unable to travel
- Personal callbacks from founding attorney Arkady Frekhtman
- Russian-language services available
- Zero fees unless we win your case
- Brooklyn office at 60 Bay 26th St, serving families across the borough
- $2,000,000 wrongful death result
Our Brooklyn office at 60 Bay 26th St, Brooklyn, NY 11214 is the closest to Staten Island. Call 866-821-0718, visit us in person, or use our contact form. We can also come to you at home or in the hospital when travel is hard.
