Durham, NC Man Dead and Another Is Injured After Speeding Driver Rears Ends Lyft Vehicle

A tragic accident on the Durham Freeway on Tuesday, August 3, left one man dead and another injured.

Authorities say the crash happened around 1 AM near the Ellis Road exit. Daniel Joseph Watt, 26, a residence coordinator at Duke University, was riding in a Lyft driven by Alex Marroquia, 26. A Mercedes Benz driven by 41-year-old Gregory Allan Coley was speeding when it crashed into the back of Marroquia’s Lyft vehicle. It hit a guardrail in the median, and Watt was thrown from the car. Sadly, he was later pronounced dead from his injuries.

“Daniel was one of the most unselfish people I know. He was kind; he had a huge heart. When stuff like this happens, it was Daniel you could call to help comfort you and to talk through things. He was well respected in his communities,” said his brother, Eugene Watt.

Marroquia was also injured and was taken to a local hospital by ambulance.

The Mercedes overturned and Coley was also hospitalized with injuries.

Authorities say they believe alcohol and speed were both factors in the crash, and that charges are pending.

If you know a surviving family member of a person who was injured or killed in an accident, please encourage them to contact our firm immediately. The consultation is completely free, with no out-of-pocket cost to the family to hire us.

For over 25 years the attorneys at Auger & Auger have been dedicated to protecting the rights of individuals and families that have suffered injuries or lost loved ones due to the negligence of others. We have years of experience guiding and helping our clients every step of the way to receive compensation for aspects such as medical bills, funeral costs, and other monetary losses. 

Editorial Note: At A&A we are always looking to improve the quality and safety and are saddened by the outcome of many tragic accidents across the Carolinas. The purpose of this news blog is to write about cases relevant to our industry and raise awareness about injury cases so that victims of similar incidents can educate themselves on theories of liability, the law, and how personal injury cases typically work. This article is created using publicly available information and is a secondary source. If you find any information here to be inaccurate, please notify us at [email protected], and we will make the appropriate adjustments.