A taxi driver who continued driving despite being severely fatigued has been sentenced to six years in prison after falling asleep at the wheel and killing a 59-year-old motorist in Surrey, United Kingdom.
Kolawole Erunkulu, a Nigerian-British national from Bexleyheath, was driving an Audi along the A23 in Merstham shortly before 6.30am on August 17, 2025, when his vehicle crossed into a roadside layby and struck Philip Dray.
Philip had pulled his Volkswagen into the layby to take a break and was opening the driver’s door when Erunkulu’s car hit him. He died at the scene.
At Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday, August 25, Erunkulu was sentenced after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. He was also disqualified from driving for eight years and will have to pass an extended driving test if he later seeks to regain his licence.
The court heard that the crash followed several days of extremely long working hours.
Investigators examining footage from Erunkulu’s vehicle and information obtained from his employers found that he had worked for approximately 53 hours during the three days leading up to the collision.
His longest period of rest during that time was about seven hours. Other breaks included one lasting approximately four hours and two of around two hours.
In the 12 hours before the crash, Erunkulu had continued working as a taxi driver, taking only short breaks.
An interior camera inside his vehicle captured the moment he experienced what investigators described as a “microsleep”, causing the car to veer across the carriageway and into the layby where Philip was standing.
CCTV footage showed the Audi’s nearside wheels crossing completely over the white lines into the layby before the vehicle corrected course after the collision. Erunkulu continued driving for roughly another 10 seconds before stopping at the next layby.
Judge Lees said the footage demonstrated that Erunkulu knew he was dangerously tired but continued driving.
“The footage shows the defendant was extremely tired,” the judge said, adding that the tragedy could have been avoided if he had simply stopped and slept.
Erunkulu was charged in March 2026 and entered his guilty plea in June. Surrey Police said he would have received a nine-year sentence had the case gone to trial.
Acting Detective Inspector Rob Baldwin of Surrey Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit said Erunkulu’s long hours and inadequate rest had created a dangerous accumulation of “sleep debt”.
He warned that fatigue can seriously impair a driver’s ability to stay alert and respond appropriately, particularly during the early morning hours when the body is naturally more inclined to sleep.
Philip’s family described him as a dependable and caring man who was always concerned about the safety of others.
His sister said he was a careful and conscientious driver who spent his life putting the safety of passengers and fellow road users first.
His partner described him as her “partner and soulmate”, saying his death had created an “enormous emotional and physical void”.
The family has agreed to the release of footage showing Erunkulu falling asleep while driving, hoping it will serve as a warning about the potentially fatal consequences of driving while fatigued.
