Florida woman convicted of vehicular homicide over 2025 I-95 crash that killed boyfriend
A Flagler County, Florida jury convicted Leigha Mumby, 25, of vehicular homicide and reckless driving over a February 2025 crash that left her boyfriend Daniel Waterman paralysed; he died eight months later. Prosecutors say she crashed after learning she was pregnant; her lawyer denied she meant to crash.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2A Florida jury on Wednesday 14 October 2026 convicted Leigha Mumby, 25, of vehicular homicide and reckless driving with serious bodily injury over the death of her boyfriend, Daniel Waterman, 22. Hindustan TimesN “Leigha Mumby, 25 years old, was convicted on Wednesday, October 14th following a two-day trial” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ New York PostR “A jury convicted Mumby Wednesday of vehicular homicide and reckless driving with serious bodily injury after deliberating for just over an hour.” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2The crash happened in February 2025 on Interstate 95 in Flagler County, when Mumby turned the car sharply left, off the road and into trees; prosecutors put her speed at 94 mph. Hindustan TimesN “she was traveling at 94 mph along Interstate 95 in Flagler County when she abruptly jerked the steering wheel leftward” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ New York PostR “she suddenly turned left off of Interstate 95 in Flagler County and crashed into several trees in Feb. 2025” Read at New York Post ↗ Mixed · 2Waterman was left with a broken neck and paralysed below the neck, and died of pneumonia on 8 October 2025, about eight months later. Hindustan TimesN “The crash left Waterman with a broken neck and complete paralysis below the neck, prosecutors explained.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ New York PostR “before he died of pneumonia in October 2025” Read at New York Post ↗
Mixed · 2Prosecutors said the couple were in a heated argument at the time. Assistant State Attorney Melissa Clark said in closing arguments that Mumby had learned that morning she was pregnant with Waterman's child and then discovered he had been texting another woman, and that she phoned a friend to vent furiously before hanging up shortly before the crash. Hindustan TimesN “Mumby had learned that very morning she was pregnant with Waterman's baby, and shortly after discovered he had been exchanging messages with another woman” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ New York PostR “And when her best friend doesn't react the way she likes, she abruptly hangs up. That was Leigha Mumby's demeanor at the time of the crash.” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1The New York Post reports that Waterman woke long enough to tell authorities Mumby crashed on purpose, and that she was also badly injured, recovered and has since given birth to the baby; it also says she was driving at up to 110 mph. The Hindustan Times does not report these details. New York PostR “woke long enough to tell authorities Mumby crashed on purpose before he died of pneumonia in October 2025”“has since recovered and given birth to the baby she was carrying”“driving recklessly at up to 110 mph” Read at New York Post ↗ Right · 1Mumby said she did not know what led to the crash. Her defence attorney, Reid Hart, denied she was on a suicide mission and said her efforts to avoid the crash showed she never intended it. New York PostR “Mumby claimed she didn't know what led to the crash, and her defense attorney, Reid Hart, denied she was "on a suicide mission."”“Her efforts to avoid the crash, as soon as that input gets made, illustrate that she never intended for that to happen in the first place.” Read at New York Post ↗
Centre · 1The jury deliberated for one hour and 11 minutes, and Mumby was in tears as she was led from the courtroom. A judge will sentence her later; she could face up to 20 years in prison. Hindustan TimesN “the jury took just one hour and 11 minutes to deliver their verdict”“Mumby could face up to 20 years behind bars.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Right · 1The New York Post compares the case to that of Mackenzie Shirilla, convicted in 2023 of deliberately crashing her car in Ohio in 2022, killing her boyfriend and his friend; she is serving 15 years to life. New York PostR “Shirilla was 17 when she crashed her car into a wall in Strongsville at 100 mph in 2022”“She is serving 15 years to life behind bars.” Read at New York Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Explainer-style 'five things to know' report that sets out the verdict and the prosecution's account with attribution to prosecutors and local outlets.
- Emphasis
- Verdict, trial length, prosecutors' account of the argument, sentencing exposure of up to 20 years.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Omits the defence case, Waterman's reported statement to authorities, and that Mumby gave birth.
- For example
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“Prosecutors stated that Mumby and Waterman were engaged in a heated argument at the moment the crash happened on Feb. 9, 2025.” — Hindustan Times
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Tabloid-style crime story that says she crashed deliberately and links it to the Mackenzie Shirilla case.
- Emphasis
- Alleged intent, the speed, Waterman's reported statement, the Shirilla comparison, and the defence denial.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not give the maximum sentence; includes the defence denial only after asserting deliberate intent.
- Charged language
- “Girlfiend”“killed beau by deliberately crashing”“eerily similar”“"Hell on Wheels" killer”
- For example
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“A Florida woman has been found guilty of deliberately crashing her car at nearly 100 miles per hour and killing her boyfriend” — New York Post
What every side reports
- Leigha Mumby, 25, was convicted on 14 October 2026 of vehicular homicide and reckless driving with serious bodily injury.
- The February 2025 crash on I-95 in Flagler County left Daniel Waterman, 22, paralysed; he died of pneumonia in October 2025.
- Prosecutor Melissa Clark said Mumby was furious about Waterman texting another woman.
- The jury deliberated for just over an hour and sentencing is set for a later date.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the crash was deliberate
- Centre
- Reports prosecutors' account of a sudden steering jerk during an argument; does not state intent.
- Right
- States in its own voice that she crashed deliberately; also reports the defence denial that she intended it.
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Speed of the car
- Centre
- 94 mph, per prosecutors.
- Right
- Nearly 100 mph in the headline, up to 110 mph in the text, and 94 mph later in the article.
Leigha Mumby person
Said she did not know what led to the crash; her lawyer says she never intended it.
“Mumby claimed she didn't know what led to the crash” — New York Post
Daniel Waterman person
The Post reports he told authorities before dying that Mumby crashed on purpose.
“woke long enough to tell authorities Mumby crashed on purpose” — New York Post
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre1 article
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Leigha Mumby: 5 things to know as Florida woman convicted in high-speed crash that killed boyfriend
Neutral Attributed, factual explainer built on prosecutors' statements and local reports.
Right1 article
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Girlfiend killed beau by deliberately crashing into trees at 100 mph after learning she was pregnant
Alarmist Presents deliberate crashing as fact and draws a parallel with the Shirilla case.
- 15 Oct 12:29 First Hindustan TimesN Leigha Mumby: 5 things to know as Florida woman convicted in high-speed crash that killed boyfriend
- 15 Oct 12:48 +19m New York PostR Girlfiend killed beau by deliberately crashing into trees at 100 mph after learning she was pregnant
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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