Van Driver Pleads Guilty Following Fatal Collision with Highway Worker on M23

Dashcam footage and forensic evidence exposed the driver's condition after he entered a protected work zone, fatally striking a highways operative carrying out overnight maintenance near Crawley.

A van driver has admitted causing the death of a highway maintenance worker after driving into a coned-off work area on the M23 near Crawley, in a collision that has once again highlighted the dangers faced by frontline roadworkers.

Vilius Domarkas, 38, pleaded guilty at Hove Crown Court to causing the death of Anthony Howe by dangerous driving following the fatal incident in the early hours of 8 July 2026.

Mr Howe, 65, from Kent, was working within a protected traffic management zone on the southbound slip road at Junction 9 when he was struck by a Citroën Relay van that entered the closure.

He died at the scene despite the attendance of emergency services.

Driver More Than Twice the Legal Alcohol Limit

Following the collision, officers reported that Domarkas displayed clear signs of intoxication, including glazed eyes, slurred speech and difficulty standing.

A blood sample taken around four hours after the crash recorded an alcohol level of 221 micrograms per 100 millilitres of blood—almost three times the legal limit of 80 micrograms.

Investigators also recovered dashcam footage from the van, which police say showed the vehicle being driven erratically before the fatal collision.

Protected Work Area Breached

According to Sussex Police, Mr Howe was working inside a clearly coned-off section of the motorway when the van left the live carriageway and entered the closure.

The incident serves as another stark reminder that traffic management measures alone cannot eliminate the risks faced by those maintaining the strategic road network.

Highway workers continue to face serious dangers from drivers who ignore lane closures, speed restrictions or, in this case, drive while impaired.

Police: Driver Should Never Have Been Behind the Wheel

Following the guilty plea, Detective Constable Kelly Newton of Sussex Police described the incident as a tragic and entirely avoidable loss of life.

She said the evidence showed Domarkas was in no condition to drive and that his decision to get behind the wheel had devastating consequences.

The collision not only claimed the life of a highway worker but also placed countless other road users at risk.

Sentencing Next Month

Domarkas, who is listed as having no fixed address, is due to be sentenced at Hove Crown Court on 28 September.

The case is likely to renew calls from across the highways sector for stronger protection for roadworkers, who continue to face unacceptable risks while carrying out essential maintenance on the UK's road network.