A 23-year-old man has been charged in connection with the death of 12-year-old Keaton Slater in Coventry, following his extradition from Latvia. Dolars Aleksanders was detained last month and brought back to the UK on 5 August, landing at Gatwick Airport before being transferred to custody in the West Midlands.
Keaton, a schoolboy from Coventry, lost his life in an alleged hit-and-run on Radford Road in June 2024. Aleksanders was sought on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after allegedly fleeing to Latvia. West Midlands Police, working with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the National Crime Agency (NCA), and other partner organisations, secured his return to face justice.
Charges and Court Appearance
Aleksanders has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and was remanded to appear before Birmingham Magistrates' Court on 6 August. The charge follows a thorough investigation by West Midlands Police into the fatal collision that claimed Keaton's life.
A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "A man has been charged over the death of 12-year-old Keaton Slater in Coventry after he was extradited from Latvia. Dolars Aleksanders was detained last month, and we have since worked with other agencies, including the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and National Crime Agency (NCA), to bring him back to the UK."
Extradition and International Cooperation
The extradition process involved close collaboration between multiple UK and international bodies. According to the CPS, this included the Home Office, Latvian authorities, Europol, the Joint International Crime Centre (JICC), CPS International, and the CPS Extradition Unit. This coordinated effort ensured Aleksanders was returned to the UK to face proceedings for an alleged crime committed on British soil.
Ben Samples, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: "We have 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. Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court to pursue criminal proceedings."
Support for Keaton's Family
Keaton's parents are being supported by specially trained officers, who have kept them fully updated on developments. The police spokesman added: "His parents continue to be supported by specially trained officers, and they have been fully updated around these developments. We thank them for their patience and support during our investigation."
The case has drawn significant public attention in Coventry, with many expressing shock and sorrow over the tragic loss of such a young life. The legal process now moves forward as Aleksanders remains in custody, with the next steps to be determined by the courts.
