A dangerous driver was sentenced to prison after he fled to Turkey following a collision on the M1 in Northamptonshire that claimed the life of a vulnerable 53-year-old man.
Fethi Kavas, formerly of Aydin, Turkey, entered the dock at Northampton Crown Court on July 19, having already entered a guilty plea to charges of driving recklessly and causing death or serious injury.
Following an accident on January 28, 2018, when he crashed his truck into the rear of two stationary cars on the M1 southbound carriageway, just before junction 17, the 64-year-old fled to Turkey in 2018.
The 53-year-old cerebral palsy patient David Levett was riding in the back of his carers’ vehicle. The carer received a call from his brother-in-law informing him that his Volvo had broken down in lane one between junctions 17 and 18, on a four-lane smart motorway with no hard shoulder. He activated his hazard lights as he pulled up behind him.
Still, Kavas ran into the two cars. After being admitted to the hospital, David passed away from his wounds less than a month later. The collision also caused serious injuries to a 45-year-old man.
In February of this year, Kavas was extradited from Bulgaria after a red alert was issued for his arrest in 2023.
David’s sister read her victim impact statement aloud in court, stating: “We have felt in limbo for the past six years as there has been no closure for us as a family regarding the tragic passing of David.”
Sadly, our father passed away in February 2021 without receiving any satisfaction over the case’s resolution. David was very loved and missed daily by my father.
“The loss of her husband and son David, who are now 80 years old, respectively, has had a significant effect on my mother’s mental health.”
Detective Sergeant Janette Maitland, the lead investigator, continued, “No sentence will make up for the loss of David Levett.” Six years after his death, his loved ones are still grieving deeply for the loss of their much-loved brother and son.
“The length of time it has taken to bring Fethi Kavas to justice and return him to the UK has added to their loss. I’m glad we were able to accomplish that, and I hope the case’s resolution gives the family some sense of closure.
“I also hope that this case shows how committed Northamptonshire Police are to seeing justice through to its conclusion and will not back down from a challenge.
“My thoughts and prayers are with David’s family, particularly his mother and sister, and I hope the best for their future.”
Kavas received a prison term of four years and four months.
At David Levett’s inquest held in April of last year, it was discussed how his death might have been avoided if there had been a hard shoulder on the motorway. In a report on preventing future deaths, senior coroner Anne Pember also voiced her concerns regarding smart motorways.
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