Dying man signalled girlfriend deliberately caused crash, family say
Daniel Waterman, a 22-year-old landscaper, died eight months after a car crash in February 2025 that prosecutors say his girlfriend Leigha Mumby deliberately caused. Mumby, 25, is standing trial for vehicular homicide; evidence and testimony suggest the crash occurred after she accused Waterman of infidelity. The case has drawn comparisons to the Mackenzie Shirilla case, in which a woman deliberately crashed her vehicle into a wall, killing two people.
Waterman's family witnessed telling behaviour in hospital: he repeatedly withdrew his hand when Mumby tried to hold it and turned photographs of the couple face down. Using a letterboard, Waterman communicated to his mother that Mumby had crashed deliberately after accusing him of cheating. Though Mumby was pregnant with Waterman's child and initially visited him during his recovery, the family's perceptions shifted dramatically once they learned Waterman's account. Mumby has pleaded not guilty, claiming she has no memory of the crash; her trial is set to begin this week.
- Man died eight months after girlfriend allegedly crashed car deliberately in argument over infidelity
- Family witnessed hospital rejection suggesting he knew about deliberate crash
- Trial for vehicular homicide begins this week
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Daniel Waterman, a 22-year-old landscaper, died in October 2025, eight months after a serious car crash in February 2025. Prosecutors allege that his girlfriend, Leigha Mumby, 25, deliberately caused the crash, and she is standing trial for vehicular homicide. The case has attracted public attention and has been compared to other incidents involving deliberate vehicle collisions.
The crash reportedly occurred after Mumby accused Waterman of infidelity. During his hospital recovery, Waterman's family observed that he withdrew his hand when Mumby tried to hold it and turned photographs of the couple face down. Using a letterboard, Waterman allegedly communicated to his mother that Mumby had deliberately caused the crash.
Mumby has pleaded not guilty and claims she has no memory of the crash. This account conflicts with what Waterman allegedly told his family about the incident.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The evidence demonstrates Mumby deliberately caused the crash in a moment of acute anger following her accusation of infidelity. Waterman's repeated communications via letterboard that she had intentionally crashed, combined with his visible recoil from her touch, provide crucial testimony from the person in the best position to know what occurred in the vehicle. The clear motive, immediate timing, and victim's own account create a compelling case for intentional wrongdoing.
The case against
Mumby's absence of memory regarding the crash deserves serious consideration, as trauma-induced amnesia is medically well-established. The evidence against her relies substantially on hearsay interpretation of a severely injured man's letterboard communications, filtered through family members who became emotionally hostile to her. Absent direct proof of intentional misconduct, fundamental principles of justice require that reasonable doubt prevail and that Mumby receive the presumption of innocence to which she is entitled.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Family reveal dying man’s stinging act to pregnant girlfriend after she called him a cheat then crashed car into tree… as they compare her to infamous murderer Mackenzie Shirilla”.