A tragic incident unfolded earlier this month when a 22-year-old man, Daniel Waterman, succumbed to injuries he sustained in a car accident. Before his passing, Waterman emerged from a coma to reveal to police officers that his girlfriend may have intentionally caused the crash.
Waterman was the passenger in a vehicle driven by his girlfriend, Leigha Mumby, 24, during Super Bowl weekend in February. The couple was traveling on an interstate in Flagler County, Florida, when the accident occurred. Despite battling critical injuries for months, Waterman’s condition ultimately led to his death on October 8, as reported by FOX35 Orlando.
After regaining consciousness, Waterman managed to provide crucial information to investigators. According to his mother, he recounted the events leading up to the crash, suggesting that Mumby had deliberately caused it. Waterman alleged that Mumby made a chilling remark: “I don’t care what happens. You’ll get what you deserve.”
Waterman’s grandfather, Michael Gilman, shared the extent of his grandson’s injuries with CNYCentral.com, detailing that Waterman had suffered multiple fractures, including his neck, back, and collarbone, along with dislocated hips, a broken leg, and a fractured ankle.
This heartbreaking story has left many grieving and searching for answers, as the investigation into the crash continues to unfold.
Waterman’s grandfather, Michael Gilman, told CNYCentral.com that Waterman broke his neck, his back, his collarbone in three places, dislocated both hips, broke his leg and his ankle.
“He broke everything,” he said. “It wasn’t much, not broken. He was scratched up all over the place.”
Mumby was initially arrested in July and charged with reckless driving causing serious bodily injury and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Mumby had pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Leigha Mumby, 24, had charges upgraded to vehicular homicide following Waterman’s death. (Flagler County Sheriff’s Office)
Prosecutors upgraded Mumby’s earlier charges to vehicular homicide earlier this week following Waterman’s death. She was booked into the Flagler County Jail and released after posting a $150,000 bond.
“This was not an accident,” John Hager, an attorney for the Waterman family, told FOX35. “Evidence showed she didn’t use the brakes — the car was speeding up at the time of impact.”
Hager also confirmed that Mumby was pregnant with Waterman’s child at the time of the crash and has since given birth.
A GoFundMe set up for Waterman said that he was excited about becoming a father.
“Daniel was an excited, soon-to-be father of a baby girl,” it said. “He wanted nothing more than to come home to her and to the family who loved him so dearly. There was not a day that went by that he didn’t express that he just wanted to come home.”
