Murder trial underway for car crash in Daytona Beach

Anthony Adum testified that he took drugs, drank some alcohol and partied during spring break three years ago before driving his car in circles at one of Daytona Beach's busiest intersections. But he said he did not intend to use his car to hit and kill a man sitting at the intersection of International Speedway Boulevard and Nova Road.

Adum, 42, is on trial charged with the first-degree murder of Christopher Watson. Watson was the man sitting next to a pole near a traffic barrier on the south-east corner of the intersection at Amscot when Adum's car struck him on the night of March 21, 2021. Adum is also charged with manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident causing death.

District Judge Leah Case is presiding over the trial at the S. James Foxman Justice Center in Daytona Beach.

Adum was not in the car when it hit Watson. Adum had opened the door and jumped out shortly before the car crash.

Adum testified that he never saw Watson sitting on the ground, even though the car's headlights were pointed at Watson as he rolled across the crosswalk toward the man, nearly hitting a second person.

“I was driving in circles the whole time,” Adum said. “I wasn't paying attention… It was spring break. I was on vacation, partying and being stupid.”

Assistant District Attorney Mark Interlicchio asked Adum if he had to put everyone in danger to have fun.

“Of course I'm sorry that someone lost their life,” Adum said. “I didn't do it on purpose. I don't know why anyone would think I wanted to do it on purpose, because I don't know that person. … I wanted to have fun … I didn't see the victim.”

But Adum didn't have a college break. Adum said he was homeless and living in an abandoned house in Daytona Beach because he didn't have enough money to return to Michigan. He said he hired a few other homeless people that day to help clean up the abandoned house.

He admitted to buying and injecting drugs that day. He said the other two people had their own drugs with them. He said he also bought alcohol that day and may have smoked crack.

When questioned by his defense attorney Michael Nielsen, Adum said he did not know that he had hit anyone or that anyone had been seriously injured or died.

“I didn't know I had hit anyone. I didn't know there was anyone under the car,” Adum said.

Nielsen asked Adum what other problems he had besides his drug addiction. Adum said he was addicted to alcohol and began to say something about his “mental health.” This provoked an objection from Interlicchio, which Case granted after a judges' conference out of earshot of the jury; mental health was no longer mentioned.

In response to a question, Adum said he had been shown a document stating that he had been convicted of 10 crimes, but he believed it was fewer. No further details about the crimes were given.

Interlicchio said during his opening statement Tuesday that Adum must have seen Watson.

“It's impossible that he didn't see the victim. And as he drives toward him, he literally jumps out of the vehicle and speeds toward Christopher Watson. He's under the car. He's crushed to death by the defendant. These actions by the defendant are absolutely deliberate, they are premeditated.”

Nielsen said in his opening statement that Adum has always enjoyed “playing around” with ATVs and cars. Nielsen also said that Adum has an eye condition that affects his vision, making it blurry.

Drugs and erratic driving

Rachel Raper, 59, who testified for the state, said she was one of two people Adum hired to clean the house. She said she expected to be paid $40 but never received the money.

The rapist said Adum mined crack at home, put it in a syringe and injected it. She said she smoked crack.

Raper said Adum was acting “fine” until they got in the car and he started driving erratically as they drove around Daytona Beach. She said his driving style scared her and she told him to slow down.

She said Adum said he was being followed by someone, but Raper turned around and said no one was following them.

They pulled into the Krispy Kreme parking lot at International Speedway Boulevard and Nova Road. Raper said she was scared, so she took the keys and turned the car off. Adum reacted strangely.

“He just jumped out the window. I sat there and shook my head for a second,” Raper testified.

She said she got out of the car, threw the keys in the car and walked away.

Interlicchio asked if she had the impression that Adum was under the influence of drugs.

“Yes, but whatever he did shouldn't have made him so crazy,” she said.

Nielsen also referred to a statement by Raper in which he said that Adum also smoked crack.

Car on crosswalk in fatal accident in Daytona Beach

Brian Moore, who was living in Daytona Beach at the time and was taking his daily walk, was almost hit by Adum's car.

Moore testified that he was waiting on the corner at Amscot to cross the street when he noticed a man sitting on the ground next to the post with the crosswalk buttons.

Moore said as he was waiting for the light, he noticed a car that had missed a turn. It was Adum's car.

“But suddenly they were in the crosswalk,” Moore said of the car. “…The tires were spinning on the wet asphalt, and I noticed he was accelerating. He was accelerating toward me. That's when I jumped. OK, I have to get out of the way. So I jumped as far to the right as I could.”

Moore said he wrapped his arm around the pole, which helped him dodge even further.

But Watson was hit.

“I guess he saw it but couldn't get out of the way,” Moore said of Watson.

A police bodycam video showed the dying man lying unconscious on the ground next to Adum's car.

Murder trial underway for car crash in Daytona Beach

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