Moment taxi driver who worked three days straight tries to stay awake before fatally hitting driver who stopped in a lay-by for break
Kolawole Erunkulu had been working as a taxi driver for 12 hours with only small breaks when his vehicle hit Mr Dray on August 17, 2025
Shocking footage has been released showing the moment a taxi driver fell asleep at the wheel and killed a "sweet, gentle, and caring” man who had parked in a layby.
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45-year-old Kolawole Erunkulu, from Bexleyheath, has been jailed for six years after his Audi swerved off the road and collided with 59-year-old Philip Dray, who was getting into his Volkswagen in a layby after taking a break from driving.
Erunkulu had been working as a taxi driver for 12 hours with only small breaks when his vehicle hit Mr Dray on August 17, 2025. He pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving in June 2026.
Erunkulu had driven for 53 hours across the three days leading up to the collision, with his longest break being seven hours three days earlier.
Footage from inside Erunkulu's car shows him falling into a microsleep, during which time his vehicle swerves off the side of the road and hits Mr Dray, before driving on for another 10 seconds.
A microsleep can last only seconds, but during this time, the brain isn't processing any information.
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Erunkulu was sentenced to six years in prison and 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.
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 added: “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.”
Mr Dray’s family have described him as “an amazing partner and man” who was dependable and steady.
His sister said: “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.”
His partner has described him as “a sweet, gentle, and caring man" and “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.”