By Ghazali Ibrahim
A British-Nigerian taxi driver, Kolawole Erunkulu, has been sentenced to six years in prison after falling asleep while driving and fatally hitting a man in Surrey, United Kingdom.
Erunkulu, 45, was driving an Audi on the A23 in Merstham on August 17, 2025, when he reportedly suffered a “microsleep” and veered into a roadside lay-by.
He struck 59-year-old Philip Dray, who was opening the door of his parked Volkswagen. Dray died at the scene.
Investigators found that Erunkulu had driven for about 53 hours over three days, with limited rest, and had been working for about 12 hours before the crash.
He pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on August 25, 2026. He was also disqualified from driving for eight years.
Surrey Police said the case highlights the dangers of driving while fatigued.
