A taxi driver has been jailed for six years after falling asleep at the wheel and causing the death of a 59-year-old man on the A23 in Surrey.
A taxi driver has been jailed after falling asleep at the wheel and causing a fatal collision on the A23 in Merstham.
Kolawole Erunkulu, 45, from Bexleyheath, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving following the death of 59-year-old Philip Dray.
The collision happened shortly before 6.30am on Sunday 17 August 2025.
Philip had parked his Volkswagen safely in a layby and was opening the driver’s door to get back into the vehicle when he was struck by an Audi being driven by Erunkulu.
CCTV later showed the Audi’s nearside wheels crossing completely over the white lines into the layby before the vehicle corrected its course after the collision.
Philip died at the scene.
Surrey Police said investigators examined footage from inside Erunkulu’s car, along with information from his employers.
The evidence showed he had been driving for around 53 hours over the three days before the collision, with only limited periods of rest.
In the period immediately before the crash, he had been working as a taxi driver for around 12 hours, with only minor breaks.
Footage from inside the vehicle showed Erunkulu experiencing microsleep — a brief episode of sleep lasting only seconds.
During one of those episodes, his vehicle veered across the carriageway and struck Philip in the layby.
Erunkulu was charged in March 2026 and pleaded guilty at court in June.
At Guildford Crown Court on Tuesday 25 August, he was sentenced to six years in prison and disqualified from driving for eight years.
He will also be required to take an extended driving test if he applies for his licence again.
The court heard that had he been convicted following a trial, his sentence would have been nine years.
Acting Detective Inspector Rob Baldwin, from Surrey Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said the case highlighted the serious dangers of driving while fatigued.
Philip’s family described him as a dependable, caring and gentle man.
His partner called him her “partner and soulmate” and said his death had left an enormous emotional and physical void.
His family agreed to the release of footage showing Erunkulu falling asleep at the wheel in the hope of warning others about the dangers of driving while tired.
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