Topline: After months in a coma, Daniel Waterman used a letter board to tell investigators that his girlfriend, Leigha Mumby, had intentionally driven their car off Interstate 95.
Published: October 29, 2025 2:48 pm ET
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Background: Daniel Waterman (Family provided photo). Inset: Leigha Mumby (via Flagler County Sheriff's Office)
PALM COAST, FL — A Florida woman already facing felony charges in a violent car crash that left her boyfriend critically injured now stands accused of killing him.
Assistant State Attorney Melissa Clark on Monday filed an additional count of vehicular homicide against 24-year-old Leigha Catherine Mumby, according to FlaglerLive.
The charge follows the death of Daniel Waterman, 22, who died on Oct. 8—eight months after suffering devastating injuries in the February crash along Interstate 95 in Palm Coast.
According to FlaglerLive, the crash occurred late on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9, after a day that had begun with the couple learning Mumby was pregnant. They had spent the day with Waterman’s cousins, Jessica and Sarah Stappenbeck, at their home in Palm Coast’s B-Section, before leaving in the evening to drive north on I-95. As the two argued in the car, the situation turned explosive. The Florida Highway Patrol later determined that Mumby caused the crash after swerving off the road and hitting a tree.
In May, still unable to speak clearly after months in hospitals in Daytona Beach and Syracuse, Waterman communicated with investigators using a letter board, his mother told Syracuse.com.
He painstakingly spelled out that the crash was no accident.
According to court documents cited by both FlaglerLive and the Miami Herald, Waterman told police that during their argument, Mumby became enraged after seeing messages he had received from a woman in New York. He said Mumby slowed to about 50 mph—enough for him to try, unsuccessfully, to open the car door—before accelerating again to 80 or 90 mph. Moments later, he recalled her saying, “I don’t care what happens, you’ll get what you deserve,” before she steered the vehicle off the road.
FHP investigators later confirmed that the car’s data recorder matched Waterman’s account, showing speeds above 90 mph and a sudden swerve just before the impact.
Jessica Stappenbeck, Waterman’s cousin, told FlaglerLive that she was the last person to speak with Mumby as she drove. Mumby called her twice, “upset,” because she believed Waterman had been in touch with an ex-girlfriend. Stappenbeck also said that a text was sent from Waterman’s phone just minutes before the crash, reading, “this is what he gets for being a liar and a cheater.”
She believes Mumby sent it.
Both occupants were pulled from the wreck by emergency responders. Mumby told investigators she didn’t remember anything leading up to the crash and only recalled “waking up in agonizing pain,” according to the Miami Herald. She was discharged from the hospital within days, while Waterman remained in critical condition with broken bones, spinal injuries, and collapsed lungs.
Waterman, a 2022 graduate of Liverpool High School in upstate New York, was eventually flown home in late July. His mother told syracuse.com that by then he had been improving—out of bed, using a wheelchair, and even talking about starting a sports podcast. But in October, he developed pneumonia and died at Upstate University Hospital.
“He never gave up,” his mother said. “This whole entire time, he literally never gave up.”
Following his death, prosecutors amended Mumby’s case. She had already been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and reckless driving causing serious bodily injury—charges filed in August after her July arrest, according to FlaglerLive. The new vehicular homicide charge, filed Oct. 27, accuses her of “operating a motor vehicle in a reckless manner likely to cause the death of, or great bodily harm to another, killing Daniel Waterman,” court records show.
Each felony charge carries the potential for years in prison. Both of the initial counts are Level 7 felonies under Florida’s sentencing guidelines, which carry a minimum of 21 months in state prison, FlaglerLive noted.
Mumby was released last summer on bond—listed as $25,000 in FlaglerLive and $30,000 in the Miami Herald—and has been ordered to appear before Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols on Nov. 19 for a pretrial hearing.
Waterman’s mother said her son had been preparing for fatherhood, taking online parenting classes from his hospital bed, and that his dying wish was for his family to gain custody of Mumby’s baby. She believes the child is his. “We’ll do whatever we can do to bring her to us,” she told syracuse.com. “He wanted her raised in New York with his family.”
Waterman’s relatives described him as a passionate athlete who loved basketball and football and had traveled widely in his young life—to Greece, Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE.
“It’s just so sad,” a family member told WJXT, quoted by the Miami Herald. “He had his whole life ahead of him. I’m never going to see him be a dad. I’m never going to see him be who he was supposed to be.”
As the case now moves toward trial, questions remain about what evidence the court will allow. According to Syracuse.com, Waterman’s statement to police may be challenged on legal grounds because he cannot be cross-examined. Still, his family says they will continue to fight—for justice in court, and for the child he never got to meet.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
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Latest Articles
Man Wakes from Coma to Tell Police the Truth About the Crash That Claimed His Life
After months in a coma, Daniel Waterman used a letter board to tell investigators that his girlfriend, Leigha Mumby, had intentionally driven their car off Interstate 95.
By Jacob Charles
Published: October 29, 2025 2:48 pm ET
Background: Daniel Waterman (Family provided photo). Inset: Leigha Mumby (via Flagler County Sheriff's Office)
PALM COAST, FL — A Florida woman already facing felony charges in a violent car crash that left her boyfriend critically injured now stands accused of killing him.
Assistant State Attorney Melissa Clark on Monday filed an additional count of vehicular homicide against 24-year-old Leigha Catherine Mumby, according to FlaglerLive.
The charge follows the death of Daniel Waterman, 22, who died on Oct. 8—eight months after suffering devastating injuries in the February crash along Interstate 95 in Palm Coast.
According to FlaglerLive, the crash occurred late on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9, after a day that had begun with the couple learning Mumby was pregnant. They had spent the day with Waterman’s cousins, Jessica and Sarah Stappenbeck, at their home in Palm Coast’s B-Section, before leaving in the evening to drive north on I-95. As the two argued in the car, the situation turned explosive. The Florida Highway Patrol later determined that Mumby caused the crash after swerving off the road and hitting a tree.
In May, still unable to speak clearly after months in hospitals in Daytona Beach and Syracuse, Waterman communicated with investigators using a letter board, his mother told Syracuse.com.
He painstakingly spelled out that the crash was no accident.
According to court documents cited by both FlaglerLive and the Miami Herald, Waterman told police that during their argument, Mumby became enraged after seeing messages he had received from a woman in New York. He said Mumby slowed to about 50 mph—enough for him to try, unsuccessfully, to open the car door—before accelerating again to 80 or 90 mph. Moments later, he recalled her saying, “I don’t care what happens, you’ll get what you deserve,” before she steered the vehicle off the road.
FHP investigators later confirmed that the car’s data recorder matched Waterman’s account, showing speeds above 90 mph and a sudden swerve just before the impact.
Jessica Stappenbeck, Waterman’s cousin, told FlaglerLive that she was the last person to speak with Mumby as she drove. Mumby called her twice, “upset,” because she believed Waterman had been in touch with an ex-girlfriend. Stappenbeck also said that a text was sent from Waterman’s phone just minutes before the crash, reading, “this is what he gets for being a liar and a cheater.”
She believes Mumby sent it.
Both occupants were pulled from the wreck by emergency responders. Mumby told investigators she didn’t remember anything leading up to the crash and only recalled “waking up in agonizing pain,” according to the Miami Herald. She was discharged from the hospital within days, while Waterman remained in critical condition with broken bones, spinal injuries, and collapsed lungs.
Waterman, a 2022 graduate of Liverpool High School in upstate New York, was eventually flown home in late July. His mother told syracuse.com that by then he had been improving—out of bed, using a wheelchair, and even talking about starting a sports podcast. But in October, he developed pneumonia and died at Upstate University Hospital.
“He never gave up,” his mother said. “This whole entire time, he literally never gave up.”
Following his death, prosecutors amended Mumby’s case. She had already been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and reckless driving causing serious bodily injury—charges filed in August after her July arrest, according to FlaglerLive. The new vehicular homicide charge, filed Oct. 27, accuses her of “operating a motor vehicle in a reckless manner likely to cause the death of, or great bodily harm to another, killing Daniel Waterman,” court records show.
Each felony charge carries the potential for years in prison. Both of the initial counts are Level 7 felonies under Florida’s sentencing guidelines, which carry a minimum of 21 months in state prison, FlaglerLive noted.
Mumby was released last summer on bond—listed as $25,000 in FlaglerLive and $30,000 in the Miami Herald—and has been ordered to appear before Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols on Nov. 19 for a pretrial hearing.
Waterman’s mother said her son had been preparing for fatherhood, taking online parenting classes from his hospital bed, and that his dying wish was for his family to gain custody of Mumby’s baby. She believes the child is his. “We’ll do whatever we can do to bring her to us,” she told syracuse.com. “He wanted her raised in New York with his family.”
Waterman’s relatives described him as a passionate athlete who loved basketball and football and had traveled widely in his young life—to Greece, Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE.
“It’s just so sad,” a family member told WJXT, quoted by the Miami Herald. “He had his whole life ahead of him. I’m never going to see him be a dad. I’m never going to see him be who he was supposed to be.”
As the case now moves toward trial, questions remain about what evidence the court will allow. According to Syracuse.com, Waterman’s statement to police may be challenged on legal grounds because he cannot be cross-examined. Still, his family says they will continue to fight—for justice in court, and for the child he never got to meet.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
Must Read
Editor Picks
Latest Articles
Man Wakes from Coma to Tell Police the Truth About the Crash That Claimed His Life
After months in a coma, Daniel Waterman used a letter board to tell investigators that his girlfriend, Leigha Mumby, had intentionally driven their car off Interstate 95.
By Jacob Charles
Published: October 29, 2025 2:48 pm ET
Background: Daniel Waterman (Family provided photo). Inset: Leigha Mumby (via Flagler County Sheriff's Office)
PALM COAST, FL — A Florida woman already facing felony charges in a violent car crash that left her boyfriend critically injured now stands accused of killing him.
Assistant State Attorney Melissa Clark on Monday filed an additional count of vehicular homicide against 24-year-old Leigha Catherine Mumby, according to FlaglerLive.
The charge follows the death of Daniel Waterman, 22, who died on Oct. 8—eight months after suffering devastating injuries in the February crash along Interstate 95 in Palm Coast.
According to FlaglerLive, the crash occurred late on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9, after a day that had begun with the couple learning Mumby was pregnant. They had spent the day with Waterman’s cousins, Jessica and Sarah Stappenbeck, at their home in Palm Coast’s B-Section, before leaving in the evening to drive north on I-95. As the two argued in the car, the situation turned explosive. The Florida Highway Patrol later determined that Mumby caused the crash after swerving off the road and hitting a tree.
In May, still unable to speak clearly after months in hospitals in Daytona Beach and Syracuse, Waterman communicated with investigators using a letter board, his mother told Syracuse.com.
He painstakingly spelled out that the crash was no accident.
According to court documents cited by both FlaglerLive and the Miami Herald, Waterman told police that during their argument, Mumby became enraged after seeing messages he had received from a woman in New York. He said Mumby slowed to about 50 mph—enough for him to try, unsuccessfully, to open the car door—before accelerating again to 80 or 90 mph. Moments later, he recalled her saying, “I don’t care what happens, you’ll get what you deserve,” before she steered the vehicle off the road.
FHP investigators later confirmed that the car’s data recorder matched Waterman’s account, showing speeds above 90 mph and a sudden swerve just before the impact.
Jessica Stappenbeck, Waterman’s cousin, told FlaglerLive that she was the last person to speak with Mumby as she drove. Mumby called her twice, “upset,” because she believed Waterman had been in touch with an ex-girlfriend. Stappenbeck also said that a text was sent from Waterman’s phone just minutes before the crash, reading, “this is what he gets for being a liar and a cheater.”
She believes Mumby sent it.
Both occupants were pulled from the wreck by emergency responders. Mumby told investigators she didn’t remember anything leading up to the crash and only recalled “waking up in agonizing pain,” according to the Miami Herald. She was discharged from the hospital within days, while Waterman remained in critical condition with broken bones, spinal injuries, and collapsed lungs.
Waterman, a 2022 graduate of Liverpool High School in upstate New York, was eventually flown home in late July. His mother told syracuse.com that by then he had been improving—out of bed, using a wheelchair, and even talking about starting a sports podcast. But in October, he developed pneumonia and died at Upstate University Hospital.
“He never gave up,” his mother said. “This whole entire time, he literally never gave up.”
Following his death, prosecutors amended Mumby’s case. She had already been charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and reckless driving causing serious bodily injury—charges filed in August after her July arrest, according to FlaglerLive. The new vehicular homicide charge, filed Oct. 27, accuses her of “operating a motor vehicle in a reckless manner likely to cause the death of, or great bodily harm to another, killing Daniel Waterman,” court records show.
Each felony charge carries the potential for years in prison. Both of the initial counts are Level 7 felonies under Florida’s sentencing guidelines, which carry a minimum of 21 months in state prison, FlaglerLive noted.
Mumby was released last summer on bond—listed as $25,000 in FlaglerLive and $30,000 in the Miami Herald—and has been ordered to appear before Circuit Judge Dawn Nichols on Nov. 19 for a pretrial hearing.
Waterman’s mother said her son had been preparing for fatherhood, taking online parenting classes from his hospital bed, and that his dying wish was for his family to gain custody of Mumby’s baby. She believes the child is his. “We’ll do whatever we can do to bring her to us,” she told syracuse.com. “He wanted her raised in New York with his family.”
Waterman’s relatives described him as a passionate athlete who loved basketball and football and had traveled widely in his young life—to Greece, Egypt, Jordan, and the UAE.
“It’s just so sad,” a family member told WJXT, quoted by the Miami Herald. “He had his whole life ahead of him. I’m never going to see him be a dad. I’m never going to see him be who he was supposed to be.”
As the case now moves toward trial, questions remain about what evidence the court will allow. According to Syracuse.com, Waterman’s statement to police may be challenged on legal grounds because he cannot be cross-examined. Still, his family says they will continue to fight—for justice in court, and for the child he never got to meet.
Presumption of Innocence: A presumption of innocence means that any defendant in a criminal trial is presumed to be innocent until they have been proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. The defendant in this case is only accused of the charges set forth in the criminal complaint. They are innocent until proven guilty.
Editor's Note: ThePo makes every effort to accurately transcribe the contents of affidavits of probable cause contained in criminal complaints. Often, the complaints themselves are copies of copies of faxed copies, and are difficult to read. To confirm the accuracy of our transcription, contact the Magisterial District Court listed above and request a copy of the criminal complaint. It's a public record to which you are entitled.
If you are experiencing domestic abuse, you are not alone. Help is available. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788 to connect with trained advocates 24/7. Support is free, confidential, and available in over 200 languages. You can also visit thehotline.org for more information and resources.
Must Read
