Florida Woman Accused of Deadly Revenge Crash Faces Jury

A Florida woman is on trial for vehicular homicide and reckless driving, accused of intentionally crashing an SUV at nearly 100 mph with her boyfriend inside following an argument over text messages. Leigha Mumby, 25, has pleaded not guilty to the charges in connection with the death of Daniel Waterman, 22, who died eight months after the February 9, 2025, crash.

During opening statements Tuesday, Assistant State Attorney Melissa Clark told jurors that Mumby was upset over text messages another woman had sent to Waterman. According to vehicle data, the SUV was traveling at 94 mph in the seconds before Mumby made an abrupt left turn, sending the vehicle off Interstate 95 and into the woods. Clark described the maneuver as "a dangerous and reckless" action.

Waterman sustained a broken neck in the crash, leading to paralysis and a coma. He died on October 8, 2025, from injuries directly related to the incident, prosecutors stated.

However, Mumby's defense attorney, Reid Hart, suggested that something occurred inside the vehicle that Mumby did not anticipate or control. He urged jurors to consider whether the swerve was a deliberate act or the result of an unexpected event. Hart argued that if the vehicle began careening off the road, Mumby attempted to avoid a crash but could not stop it.

Jurors will not hear Waterman's account of the crash. Before his death, he told investigators from his hospital bed that Mumby deliberately swerved off the road after the argument. A judge ruled these statements inadmissible, citing rules of evidence.

Sarah Stappenbeck, Waterman's cousin and Mumby's best friend, testified that Mumby had announced her pregnancy earlier on the day of the crash. Stappenbeck also stated that Mumby expressed concerns about Waterman communicating with other women and declared she would not let him cheat on her. Mumby reportedly called Stappenbeck while angry, stating Waterman was texting another girl and that she planned to bring him back home. Stappenbeck testified that Mumby hung up after accusing her of taking Waterman's side. Approximately 20 minutes later, Stappenbeck was informed of the crash.

Mumby was initially arrested in July 2025 on charges of reckless driving and aggravated battery. After Waterman's death, her charges were upgraded to vehicular homicide. She was released on a $150,000 bond. She gave birth to a daughter three days after Waterman died.

The trial is drawing parallels to the case of Mackenzie Shirilla, who is serving a sentence of 15 years to life for intentionally crashing her car into a building in Ohio, killing her boyfriend and his friend in 2022. Shirilla's case was the subject of a Netflix documentary, and she maintains the crash was not intentional. The Ohio Supreme Court recently declined to hear her latest appeal.