Driver Dies After Forest Avenue Crash in West Brighton
The official record lists a 31-year-old male driver killed at Forest Avenue and North Burgher Avenue; police told the Daily News that Christopher Sabbagh lost control there and hit a utility pole and a parked Ford SUV.
What We Know
Christopher Sabbagh, 31, was driving west on Forest Avenue in West Brighton on Saturday night when, police told the Daily News, he lost control near North Burgher Avenue, hit a utility pole and then hit a parked Ford SUV. The official record lists the fatality as a 31-year-old male driver and identifies the vehicles as a 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage and a 2022 Ford Explorer. Medics took Sabbagh to Richmond University Medical Center, where he died. Police said they were investigating what caused the crash.
Official Crash Data
Collision ID
4897568
Date
May 9, 2026
Time
9:49 p.m.
Location
Forest Ave & N Burgher Ave, Staten Island
Borough
STATEN ISLAND
Fatalities
1
Motorists killed
1
Vehicles listed
Sedan, SUV, 4 dr sedan, Station Wagon/Sport Utility Vehicle
Contributing factors listed
36
What police said happened on Forest Avenue
The crash happened shortly before 9:50 p.m. on May 9, 2026, at Forest Avenue and North Burgher Avenue on Staten Island. Police told the Daily News that Christopher Sabbagh was driving west in a 2024 Mitsubishi Mirage when he lost control, hit a utility pole and then hit a parked Ford SUV.
The official record lists one motorist killed, a 31-year-old male driver, and identifies the other vehicle as a 2022 Ford Explorer that was parked.
Forest Avenue has a long crash record
The crash site was at Forest Avenue and North Burgher Avenue in West Brighton. Across Forest Avenue on Staten Island, CrashCountNYC’s location review counted 859 crashes, 536 injuries, 34 serious injuries and 6 deaths from the start of 2022 through June 1, 2026.
Sabbagh died after medics took him to the hospital
The Daily News reported that medics took Sabbagh to Richmond University Medical Center, where he could not be saved. Police said the investigation into what caused him to crash was continuing.