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Man jailed after falling asleep at the wheel and causing fatal collision

Dear resident,

A 45-year-old man has been jailed after falling asleep at the wheel and causing the death of a man described by his family as “sweet, gentle, and caring”.

Shortly before 6.30am on Sunday, 17 August 2025, officers were called to the scene of a collision on the A23 in Merstham. An Audi had swerved across the carriageway and collided with the driver of a Volkswagen parked at the side of the road.

59-year-old Philip Dray had parked his car safely in a layby for a break and was opening the driver’s door to climb back into his vehicle when he was struck by an Audi. CCTV footage would show its nearside wheels cross completely over the white lines into the layby before correcting course after the collision. Philip sadly died at the scene.

Kolawole Erunkulu, a taxi driver from Bexleyheath, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving after falling asleep at the wheel.

Video footage from Erunkulu's car was examined by detectives, alongside data obtained from his employers. This showed that Erunkulu had been driving for around 53 hours over the three days leading up to the collision. His longest rest period between drives was three days beforehand for just seven hours. Other breaks included one of approximately four hours and two of around two hours. In the period immediately before the collision, he had been working as a taxi driver for around 12 hours, with only minor breaks.

Video footage from Erunkulu’s car interior camera shows him falling into ‘microsleep’, a very brief episode of sleep lasting just seconds, during which the brain is not processing any information. During one of these episodes his vehicle can be seen to veer across the carriageway and collide with Philip Dray standing within the layby at the side of the road, driving on for another 10 seconds before parking at the next layby.

Erunkulu (02/10/1980), who has joint British and Nigerian nationality, was charged with causing death by dangerous driving in March 2026. He pleaded guilty when appearing at court in June. On Tuesday, 25 August at Guildford Crown Court he was jailed for six years for causing death by dangerous driving. Had Erunkulu been convicted after a trial, the sentence would have been nine years. He has also been disqualified from driving for eight years which runs concurrently, and will be subject to an extended retest if he reapplies for his licence.

In her summing up at sentencing, Her Honour Judge Lees said:

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

Acting Detective Inspector Rob Baldwin from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit said, “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.

“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. Anyone who feels tired should not continue driving, as the consequences can be devastating.”

Paying tribute to him, Philip’s family described him as “an amazing partner and man.”

His sister said Philip was “dependable and steady; the sort of person people could rely on without hesitation.

“He never sought attention and lived his life quietly, but he cared deeply about others and treated people with respect and decency. He was simply a good man.

“Philip spent his life as a careful and conscientious driver, ensuring the safety of his passengers and other road users. The fact that he, someone who worked every day to keep others safe, had his life taken in such a way makes this loss even more incomprehensible and tragic.”

Philip’s partner described him as “a sweet, gentle, and caring man.” She said they were each other’s “cheerleader, advisor, partner, and best friend”, and he was “the one who was always there to give me a hug.”

She said, “Phil was my partner and my soulmate” and described “an enormous emotional and physical void” without him. “He would ring me several times a day whenever he was waiting for a client or at lunch, just to see how my day was going. I miss those calls very much.”

To highlight the dangers of driving whilst fatigued, the family have agreed to the release of video footage of the driver falling asleep at the wheel.