Man extradited to UK, charged over alleged hit-and-run death of Keaton Slater

A man has been charged in connection with the death of schoolboy Keaton Slater, who was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Coventry over two years ago. Dolars Aleksanders, a 23-year-old Latvian national, was extradited from Latvia, where he was detained last month, to face legal proceedings in the UK.

West Midlands Police confirmed on Wednesday night that Aleksanders has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving. He was taken into custody after arriving in the UK and is scheduled to appear before Birmingham Magistrates Court on Thursday. Keaton Slater, aged 12, died on June 14, 2024, after being struck by a black BMW while walking home from school.

Efforts to extradite Aleksanders had been ongoing since police identified him as a person of interest shortly after the crash. He arrived at Gatwick Airport on Wednesday and was subsequently transported to a custody facility in the West Midlands. Ben Samples, a spokesperson for the Crown Prosecution Service, acknowledged the close collaboration between British and Latvian authorities, as well as international agencies, in facilitating Aleksanders' return to face the UK court.

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British and Latvian authorities, as well as international agencies, had worked closely together to bring Mr Aleksanders back to face proceedings in a UK court.