A Nigerian-British taxi driver named Kolawole Erunkulu has been sentenced to six years in prison after he fell asleep while driving and caused a crash that killed a 59-year-old man named Philip Dray in Surrey, UK. The accident happened on August 17, 2025, when Philip was getting back into his parked car after taking a break. Erunkulu's car crossed into a layby and hit Philip, who died at the scene. Investigators found that Erunkulu had been working long hours with very little rest, leading to extreme fatigue. He had only slept for about seven hours over the three days before the crash and had been driving for 12 hours straight with only short breaks. Video footage showed him having a brief episode of sleep, known as a "microsleep," just before the crash. Erunkulu pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and was sentenced on August 25, 2026. The judge noted that he should have recognized his tiredness and stopped driving. He has also been banned from driving for eight years after his release. Philip's family described him as a caring and dependable person, and they shared the footage of the crash to raise awareness about the dangers of driving while tired.
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