Dolars Aleksanders was extradited from Latvia and charged in the UK with causing death by dangerous driving over the June 2024 hit-and-run death of 12-year-old schoolboy Keaton Slater in Coventry. West Midlands Police transported the 23-year-old suspect to a custody block ahead of his August court appearance.
A 23-year-old Latvian man accused of involvement in a fatal hit-and-run that claimed the life of a British schoolboy has been returned to the United Kingdom to face criminal proceedings. Dolars Aleksanders landed at Gatwick Airport after being detained in Latvia last month, bringing an extradition effort to a critical juncture following the initial collision.
Extradition and Charges Filed by West Midlands Police
The suspect was transported from Gatwick Airport to a custody block in the West Midlands following his arrival on Wednesday. Aleksanders faces a charge of causing death by dangerous driving relating to the incident on Radford Road in Coventry on 14 June 2024. Twelve-year-old Keaton Slater died after being hit by a black BMW while on his way home from school and was pronounced dead at the scene. Police placed Aleksanders in custody, where he remains on remand, and scheduled him to appear before Birmingham Magistrates Court on Thursday.
Efforts to extradite Aleksanders had been under way since he was named by police as a person of interest shortly after the crash. Police added that he was wanted on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving but allegedly fled to Latvia.
International Cooperation Across Jurisdictions
The return of the suspect required a coordinated multi-agency effort involving British and Latvian authorities. Crown Prosecution Service spokesman Ben Samples outlined the scope of the operation in an official statement.
“The Crown Prosecution Service has decided to charge Dolars Aleksanders with one count of causing death by dangerous driving following a police investigation into a fatal road traffic collision that led to the death of Keaton Slater.”
Ben Samples, Crown Prosecution Service spokesman
Samples added that prosecutors worked to establish sufficient evidence to bring the case to court to pursue criminal proceedings.
“Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court to pursue criminal proceedings. CPS West Midlands has worked closely with West Midlands Police, the Home Office, the Latvian authorities, Europol, the Joint International Crime Centre (JICC), CPS International and our Extradition Unit to bring Mr Aleksanders back to face proceedings in a UK court for an alleged crime that took place here.”
Ben Samples, Crown Prosecution Service spokesman
Additional partner organizations, including the National Crime Agency (NCA), also worked with West Midlands Police to bring Aleksanders back to the UK.
Family Impact and Ongoing Support
Police officials confirmed that Keaton’s parents are being supported by specially trained officers and have been updated on the developments. West Midlands Police thanked them for their patience and support during the investigation.
In September 2024, the victim’s mother, Louise Slater, described the profound personal toll of the loss.
“We get upset as a family over Keaton because we’ll never get to see him turn 13, 14… have his first drink, go to college and university. He wanted to be a famous footballer, and we won’t ever get to see that.”
Louise Slater, Keaton’s mother
Asked how she felt in the days after the fatal collision, she said:
“You’re still expecting him to walk in the door and say, ‘I’m back’… every day is like Groundhog Day; you wake up numb, and you keep thinking, ‘he’s going to walk through the door.'”
Louise Slater, Keaton’s mother