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A man has pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving following a fatal hit-and-run incident involving a 12-year-old boy in Coventry. The victim, Keaton Slater, was struck while walking home from school. Dolars Aleksanders, a 23-year-old Latvian national, admitted responsibility for the crash during a virtual hearing at Warwick Crown Court. He appeared via video link from HMP Dovegate and only responded to confirm his identity and enter his plea. Sentencing is scheduled for 13 November, with no application for bail to be made on his behalf, according to his defence counsel, Darron Whitehead.
The tragic incident happened on 14 June 2024, when Aleksanders hit Keaton with his black BMW 330 traveling at a speed significantly exceeding the limit on Radford Road. At the time, four passengers were inside the vehicle. Following the collision, Aleksanders fled the scene and later left the UK for Latvia. Authorities launched an extensive investigation that included offering a £10,000 reward through Crimestoppers to gather information leading to his arrest. After more than two years on the run, Aleksanders was extradited back to the UK last month and taken into custody upon arrival at Gatwick Airport.
Crown Prosecutor Ben Samples highlighted the collaborative efforts between British and Latvian law enforcement agencies, as well as international partners, which culminated in Aleksanders being returned to face trial in the UK. The case has drawn significant attention locally, especially as Keaton’s family endured a prolonged period of grief and uncertainty while waiting for justice. During the court session, Keaton’s parents, Louise and Clint Slater, were present in the public gallery. The family released a statement expressing their ongoing pain and the struggle they have faced both emotionally and in seeking accountability for their son’s death.
Following the incident, Coventry City Council responded by reducing the speed limit on Radford Road to 20mph in 2025. Taiwo Owatemi, the Member of Parliament for Coventry North West, described Keaton’s death as heartbreaking but expressed pride in the council’s decision to act upon a petition submitted in his memory. The move aims to enhance safety in the area to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Meanwhile, the court prepares to determine Aleksanders’ sentence, which Judge Matthew Walsh indicated will be a lengthy one, reflecting the severity of the offence
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