CEO worth $305m was drunk AND stoned when he crashed quad bike and died at country estate he shared with much younger second wife

A super-rich CEO was drunk and high on THC when he fatally crashed a quad bike at his remote country estate last year, a new medical examiner’s report said. 

LendingTree founder Doug Lebda, 55, was found dead at his newly purchased farmhouse in Polk County, North Carolina on October 12 by his second wife, Megan Greuling, 37, after he took his ATV vehicle on a joyride around his property. 

A new report by the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner found that Lebda had a blood alcohol level of 0.14% at the time of his death, and he also had delta-9 THC in his system. THC is the active ingredient in marijuana. 

The businessman, who built a net worth of over $300 million, was not wearing a helmet or a seatbelt when he crashed the quad bike, investigators said. 

The autopsy found that his death was an accident caused by blunt-force injuries to his head and abdomen. 

The report lists his time of death as 8:26pm, and notes that property cameras at Lebda’s home showed him calling for his dog around 3pm before he drove into the woods on his sprawling estate. 

Lebda’s second wife was listed as a ‘witness’ on a police report, but investigators said the CEO was driving his Honda ATV alone at the time of his fatal accident. 

The Daily Mail previously revealed Lebda had over a dozen brushes with the law related to driving infractions, speeding or reckless driving arrests – many of which came following his contentious divorce from his first wife Tara Garrity in 2011. 

Authorities investigating Lebda’s death have not announced any criminal charges and the medical examiner said his blunt-force injuries, not his toxicology numbers, directly accounted for his death. 

North Carolina law defines impaired driving as operating a vehicle above 0.08%, placing Lebda’s reading of 0.14% at almost twice the legal limit. 

Following the businessman’s untimely death, tributes poured in from across the business world for the multi-millionaire, as he was described as a ‘magnetic leader’ who revolutionized the online marketplace with LendingTree. 

Lebda had recently purchased the riverfront mansion in North Carolina where he died, and he also owned other massive properties in the state, in Nantucket, as well as a superyacht. 

Along with his numerous brushes with the law related to dangerous driving, the executive also endured a split from first wife Tara Garrity, 53, that was so nasty Garrity now touts the experience in her role as a ‘high-conflict divorce consultant.’

The mother of Lebda’s three children says her background enables her to help other women ‘regain their power’ after a marriage implodes.

Divorce records show that the couple separated in June 2011. It is unclear what triggered the split.

Lebda’s second wife, Megan Greuling, 37, joined LendingTree as a marketing coordinator in 2010.

Lebda became engaged to Greuling in 2015 and the couple wed in a lavish ceremony in 2016, the year before she was named as Director of PR and Communications at his company.

Following his death, Greuling paid tribute to him as ‘compassionate, generous, and endlessly curious about the world.’

Lebda was remembered by many as a visionary businessman who built his fortune from scratch in 1996 after being frustrated by his attempts to secure his first mortgage. 

He said he came to believe the system was stacked against people like him at the time, and he launched LendingTree to make it easier for everyday people to navigate the financial world.

His obituary said that ‘whether it was to buy a home, consolidate debt, plan for the future, or simply to enjoy life, Doug believed that financial services should be readily available and understandable to everyone.’

The businessman built his platform in the early years of the internet, and was seen as a pioneer of price comparison sites.

The firm grew into one of the most prominent price-comparison sites in the US, and had reported an expected revenue of upwards of $1 billion this year

Lebda was also known for his philanthropy in Charlotte, including donating more than $1 million to help the city through the pandemic and supporting The Foundation for the Carolinas.

He owned part of the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, and was a major sponsor of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets. 

Ledba also served as co-chairman of the 2020 Republican National Convention in Charlotte and owned part of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

In Greuling’s statement announcing his death, she wrote that it is ‘impossible to capture the depth of who Doug was and what he meant to all of us.

‘He was an amazing man with a heart so big it seemed to have room for everyone he met,’ she continued.

‘Doug was compassionate, generous, and endlessly curious about the world and the people around him. He made friends everywhere he went. His energy was magnetic, his smile contagious, and his presence was a source of comfort and inspiration.

‘Doug’s greatest joy was seeing others succeed. His generosity knew no limits, and his kindness touched every single person who crossed his path. He lifted people up, believed in their potential, and celebrated their wins as if they were his own.

‘He took care of everyone he loved — family, friends, colleagues, and strangers. He always made sure everyone knew how deeply he cared.

‘Our hearts are broken, but we are also deeply grateful for the love and support that has poured in from across the world,’ she concluded.