Hustle Gone Wrong: Nigerian-British Taxi Driver Jailed After Falling Asleep at Wheel, Killing Man in UK Crash

A Nigerian-British taxi driver, Kolawole Erunkulu, has been sentenced to six years in prison in the United Kingdom after falling asleep at the wheel and causing a fatal crash that claimed the life of a 59-year-old man.

Erunkulu, 45, a taxi driver from Bexleyheath, was convicted after his Audi swerved across the A23 in Merstham, Surrey, and struck Philip Dray, who had stopped in a roadside lay-by.

The fatal collision occurred shortly before 6:30 a.m. on August 17, 2025.

According to Surrey Police, Dray had safely parked his Volkswagen in the lay-by to take a break and was opening the driver’s door to get back into his vehicle when Erunkulu’s Audi entered the lay-by and struck him while he died at the scene.

Investigators later examined footage from inside Erunkulu’s vehicle and data obtained from his employers. The investigation found that he had spent approximately 53 hours driving during the three days leading up to the fatal collision.

Police said his longest period of rest during that time was only about seven hours, while his other breaks lasted approximately four hours and two hours.

In the 12 hours immediately before the crash, Erunkulu had reportedly been working as a taxi driver with only minor breaks.

Footage from an interior camera captured Erunkulu experiencing what police described as a “microsleep” — a brief episode of sleep lasting only seconds during which the brain is not properly processing information.

During one of the episodes, his vehicle veered across the carriageway and into the lay-by, where it struck Dray.

The vehicle continued moving for approximately another 10 seconds before Erunkulu stopped at the next lay-by, investigators said.

Erunkulu, who holds joint British and Nigerian nationality, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving in March 2026 and pleaded guilty in June.

He was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on August 25, 2026, to six years in prison. He was also disqualified from driving for eight years and will be required to take an extended driving test should he seek to obtain a licence again.

In her sentencing remarks, Her Honour Judge Lees said the evidence showed that Erunkulu was “extremely tired” and had continued driving despite his condition.

The judge said the tragedy could have been prevented if he had stopped to rest.

Surrey Police said the case highlights the potentially devastating consequences of driving while fatigued.

Acting Detective Inspector Rob Baldwin of Surrey Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit said Erunkulu had worked long hours with insufficient rest, resulting in what he described as an accumulated “sleep debt”.

He warned that fatigue can severely affect a driver’s ability to remain alert and react safely, particularly during the early hours of the morning.

Meanwhile, Dray’s family paid an emotional tribute to the 59-year-old, describing him as an “amazing partner and man”.

His family remembered him as dependable, caring and considerate, while his partner described him as her soulmate and said his death had left an enormous emotional and physical void.

Surrey Police said Dray’s family agreed to the release of footage showing the moment Erunkulu fell asleep at the wheel in the hope that it would raise awareness about the dangers of driving while tired.

The tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the dangers associated with fatigue behind the wheel, particularly for commercial and professional drivers who spend long hours on the road.