A young father-to-be who miraculously awoke from a coma to accuse his pregnant girlfriend of deliberately causing a car crash that left him with catastrophic injuries has tragically passed away, leading to upgraded charges.
A Harrowing Accusation from a Hospital Bed
Daniel Waterman, aged 22, was left fighting for his life after the car he was travelling in with his partner, Leigha Mumby, 24, collided with a tree on February 9. The horrific incident on Interstate 95 in Florida’s Flagler County left Daniel with shattered bones, spinal damage, and punctured lungs, from which he never fully recovered.
In a stunning turn of events in May, Daniel regained consciousness long enough to communicate with detectives. Using a whiteboard, and by making sounds to indicate letters, the determined 22-year-old pieced together a shocking narrative. He claimed that a heated argument with Mumby, sparked by a pregnancy revelation and a text from a female friend, led her to drive recklessly and intentionally into the tree.
The Fatal Argument and Deliberate Crash
According to Daniel's testimony, the argument ignited while Mumby was driving. He recounted that Mumby became enraged over a text message he had received from a friend back in New York, whom his mother confirmed was merely discussing their shared passion for the Super Bowl.
Daniel stated that as the row escalated, Mumby began driving dangerously. He attempted to escape by opening the door when the car slowed to around 50 mph, but was unsuccessful. He then claimed Mumby accelerated to between 80 and 90 mph, telling him, "I don't care what happens. You'll get what you deserve," before steering the vehicle directly into a tree.
Investigators later confirmed that the car's event data recorder supported Daniel's account of the crash.
Death, New Charges, and a Custody Battle
Initially, Daniel showed signs of recovery and was transferred in July to Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse to be closer to family. That same month, Mumby was charged with reckless driving, causing serious bodily injury, and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
Tragically, on October 8, Daniel's condition deteriorated and he died from pneumonia. Following his death, the charges against Mumby were upgraded to include vehicular homicide, and she was booked into Flagler County Jail.
Mumby, who was also injured in the crash and has since given birth, has pleaded not guilty to the initial charges. She has claimed she has no memory of the events leading to the collision.
Daniel's devastated family, including his mother Heather who said her son "never gave up", are now fighting for custody of the baby girl. His grandfather, Michael Gilman, stated, "We can't let the baby grow up with a mom that could possibly do this... We will not let him be gone." A paternity test is pending.
