A 23-year-old driver has pleaded guilty to causing the death of a 12-year-old schoolboy in a hit-and-run collision in Coventry during 2024.
Dolars Aleksanders, a Latvian national, was brought to the UK following extradition proceedings and subsequently charged with causing death by dangerous driving in connection with the fatal incident involving Keaton Slater. He appeared before Warwick Crown Court on Thursday via video link from HMP Dovegate, where he confirmed his identity and entered his guilty plea. During the hearing, he spoke only to acknowledge these matters, with his legal representative Darron Whitehead confirming that no application for bail would be pursued.
The collision occurred on Radford Road on 14 June 2024, when Aleksanders struck the young boy with a black BMW 330. According to West Midlands Police, the vehicle was carrying four occupants at the time and was travelling at speeds significantly exceeding the legal limit when it made contact with Keaton, who was returning from school.
Sentencing has been scheduled for 13 November, when the court will determine the appropriate penalty for the offence. The case follows Aleksanders' extradition from Latvia in August 2026, which enabled UK authorities to proceed with criminal charges relating to the death.
What happens next?
Aleksanders will return to court on 13 November for sentencing proceedings, where the judge will consider aggravating and mitigating factors before imposing a custodial sentence. The outcome will conclude the criminal proceedings in this matter.
