A United Kingdom court has sentenced a Nigerian-British taxi driver, Kolawole Erunkulu, to six years in prison for causing the death of a motorist after he fell asleep behind the wheel following prolonged periods of driving with insufficient rest.

Erunkulu, 45, was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

The fatal collision occurred shortly before 6:30 a.m. on August 17, 2025, on the A23 at Merstham, Surrey.

Investigators found that Erunkulu had been driving for approximately 53 hours over the three days preceding the crash, with only limited periods of rest.

Video footage recovered from his vehicle and data obtained from his employers showed that his longest rest period during the relevant period had been seven hours, three days before the collision.

Other breaks included one lasting approximately four hours and two periods of about two hours each.

Police said that immediately before the crash, Erunkulu had been working as a taxi driver for about 12 hours, taking only minor breaks.

The victim, 59-year-old Philip Dray, had safely parked his vehicle in a lay-by to take a break.

Dray was opening the driver’s door to get back into his vehicle when Erunkulu, who had fallen asleep while driving his Audi, struck him.

Dray died at the scene.

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

He subsequently pleaded guilty to the offence in June before returning to court for sentencing.

During sentencing, Her Honour Judge Lees said the evidence showed that Erunkulu was extremely tired and continued driving despite being aware of his condition.

“The footage shows the defendant was extremely tired and, in my view, has continued to drive when he must have known that,” the judge said.

She stressed that Erunkulu had been driving commercially, meaning his fatigue potentially placed not only himself but passengers and other road users at risk.

“He was driving commercially. Even though he didn’t have a passenger, he could have done and has driven in that state. All of this could have been stopped had he have slept,” Judge Lees said.

Investigators said footage from Erunkulu’s vehicle was examined alongside employment records to establish the length of time he had spent driving and the limited periods available to him for sleep.

Acting Detective Inspector Rob Baldwin of the Serious Collision Investigation Unit said the case demonstrated the potentially deadly consequences of driving while fatigued.

“This case sadly highlights the very real dangers of driving while fatigued. Mr Erunkulu had worked long hours with insufficient rest over the preceding days, accumulating a sleep debt,” Baldwin said.

He warned that tiredness could significantly reduce a motorist’s ability to remain alert, make sound decisions and react appropriately to road conditions.

“Fatigue can seriously impair a driver’s ability to remain alert and react safely, particularly during the early hours of the morning when the natural drive to sleep is at its strongest,” he added.

Baldwin urged motorists who feel tired to stop driving and get adequate rest, warning that continuing to drive while fatigued could have devastating consequences.

The six-year prison sentence followed Erunkulu’s guilty plea and the court’s finding that he continued driving professionally despite extreme fatigue, culminating in the collision that killed Dray.

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