Click to reveal At the end of the documentary, over the phone, Ruskin states that he had called Jay months previously with the results and that she refused to pick up her phone. Jackie Hance, the mother of the Schulers three nieces who died in the crash, would also file a lawsuit against Daniel Schuler in July 2011. ", PREVIOUSLY ON CRIMESIDERAugust 11, 2009 - Paper: Reunion in the Works for Wrong-Way Crash FamiliesAugust 10, 2009 - Paper: Wrong-Way Crash Mom's Husband Had DWIAugust 7, 2009 - Crash Mom's Husband: Killer or Victim: Who Was Wrong-Way Crash Mom?August 6, 2009 - Crash Mom's Husband: "I Would Marry Her Again Tomorrow" August 5, 2009 - Despicable! The gas station employee whom Schuler asked for pain medication at around 11 a.m. also said, "[I knew] for a fact [that] she wasn't drunk when she came into the station. State police investigators spent weeks digging, and documents from the case file on the crash contain much of what they uncovered. Paterson's Plan to Toughen DWI Laws, "Death Driver Diane Schuler Was Sober in McDonald's Before Crash, Says Family Investigator, "Family: No Signs of Long-Term Drinking in Driver in Fatal Crash, "Autopsy: Wrong-Way Crash Driver Not an Alcoholic, "Expert: Diane Schuler Should Have Had Hair Drug Test, Schuler's husband meets again with State Police, "Authorities: Autopsy Offers No Explanation for Crash, "Families Fight over Planned HBO Film of Taconic Death Driver Diane Schuler on Anniversary of Tragedy, "Family of Wrong-Way Drivers Victims Fires Back, "Bastardi Jr. Says HBO Documentary was a "Farce", "Victims' Families Angered by Schuler Claims, "Taconic Tragedy: Schuler Was Going 85 MPH in Wrong Direction, Final Police Report Says, "Challenger Pokes Holes In Westchester DA's Record, "DiFiore Pleased with Easy Win, Schorr Proud of Campaign, "Updated: Victims' Family Wants DA to Investigate Schuler Case, "Court May Name Executor of Diane Schuler's Estate, "Judge to Appoint Administrator for Diane Schulers Estate, "Suit Filed in Wrong-Way Crash That Killed 8 on Taconic, "Mother of Girls in Taconic Accident Files Suit", "Husband of Wrong Way Driver Sues State, In-Laws", "GOP Senator Fuschillo Demands Action, Tougher Laws for Drunken Driving: 'Leandra's Law, "Dr. Phil.com - Shows - Drunk Driving Moms", "Oprah Challenges Taconic Crash Investigator on Show, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2009_Taconic_State_Parkway_crash&oldid=1138477773, Transportation disasters in New York (state), Articles with dead external links from September 2018, Articles with permanently dead external links, Short description is different from Wikidata, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from April 2019, All articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases, Articles with specifically marked weasel-worded phrases from June 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 9 February 2023, at 22:27. Let's also consider the evidenceshe drove perfectly to a McDonald's, rest stop, etc., had the cohesion to use her phone and make a call, but somehow cannot recognize the fact that she is driving on the wrong side of the highway, and does so perfectly straight without any swerving, etc. [12] According to a police report, Schuler was seen by witnesses at approximately 11:45 a.m. by the side of the road with her hands on her knees, as if vomiting; she was seen again in the same position a short time later, north of the Ramapo-Sloatsburg rest stop. I WANT TO KNOW WHY! Horrible horrible tragedy. Schulers husband, sister-in-law, and an investigator working on their behalf all made claims and/or inferences that Schuler had spoken to the Sunoco clerk while attempting to buy over-the-counter pain-relief medication, although the gas station did not sell any. Maybe if he knows what happened that morning, if they argued or anything, that would be the truth. Privacy Policy. With Jesse Temple, Brad Katinas, Diane Schuler, Jay Schuler. She knew she was in trouble when she spoke to her brother and went to pull over. The Bastardis, who intend to sue Daniel Schuler in civil court, have their own concerns about the autopsy. CSRL & CDG cartel Hang Woman From Bridge With Message Written on Her Body. This is when the calls from motorists started coming in about a red minivan driving erratically: aggressively tailgating, flashing headlights, honking the horn, moving in and out of lanes. Did Prince Andrew fly on Jeffrey Epsteins plane Lolita Express? She really couldnt see. Diane died from blunt force trauma. Daniel eventually admitted that he and his wife had, in fact, consumed alcohol during the camping trip; he denied that Diane had had anything to drink on the day preceding the crash. [21] The results of an autopsy on the day following the crash, conducted by a Westchester County medical examiner, found that Diane had not suffered a stroke, an aneurysm, or a heart attack. [28], Ruskin told reporters in early September that he had interviewed Diane's relatives, none of whom had ever seen her intoxicated by alcohol. An autopsy report concludes that there were no heart problems or brain issues in the deceased. When she stopped with the kids at McDonalds and ordered orange juice, I think she figured it would be easier to hide the vodka from the kids by adding it to the orange juice, only orange juice is acidic and would burn horribly when swishing. I'll add a key piece of evidence - her BAC of 0.19. She reportedly told him that they were being delayed by traffic. "They want to know what happened that day," said forensic investigator Michael Archer. It was no doubt that Dianne's minivan is the one that crashes severely with another vehicle. In an unconscious state she realized they were going to know she was drunk and high and Diane was the perfect wife and mother and that was never going to happen. They wanted officials to test hair follicle samples from Diane Schuler, which can reveal drug use dating back for two months. I remember this case when it first happened and I just watched the documentary. The fiery July 26 crash on the Taconic Parkway killed Schuler, her 2-year-old daughter, three young nieces and three men in the SUV. She knew her tolerance level. Schuler, her two-year-old daughter and three nieces were killed in the crash along with the three men in the other vehicle. I just don't understand how people can think someone goes from driving perfectly fine, using a cell phone totally fine, being "coherent" by all account witnesses, and having experience with heavy drinking, to "she drank herself to the point that she didn't realize she was driving the wrong-way for 2 miles without swerving.". Gut fungi produce ethanol as a result of fermented carbohydrate consumed by them. Sugary and starchy foods that the body produces as alcohol become glucose. If we accept the case that she is an alcoholic (I think the alcoholism is moot at this point), then you're trying to tell me that a seasoned alcoholic who has presumably been drinking heavily for years, gets this messed up after some vodka and weed? Tim Ruskin, an investigator hired by Daniel Schuler, found people who observed Diane carrying on an extended conversation while ordering food. Did she mistake the vodka for water? Diane Schuler her two children and three nieces did not get any chance to survive the crash. Toxicology Results. Things had likely been spiraling in the relationship for a while - unhappiness, feeling overburdened, etc. Shortly after, Schuler was seen with her hands on her knees like she was vomiting at two separate instances. She smokes. ", "Wrong-Way Crash: "Diane Would Not Do This, "Victims' Families Express Revulsion at Schuler's TV Appearance, "Taconic Mom Drank But Was No Drunk: Hubby Changes Story, "Driver Said to Have Used Marijuana Regularly, "Family of Victims in Deadly Taconic crash Support Gov. She is known as the main subject of the Taconic State Parkway crash back in 2009. The Incident. "It makes me angry that he keeps denying it," said Margaret Nicotina, Bastardi's daughter. Pratt added that Schuler could have smoked marijuana right before he died if he had done so 15 minutes before. This woman has the most control over herself and everyone Ive ever seen. Meanwhile, her husband, Daniel Schuler, was in another vehicle. She had to control her environment % in order to feel calm. The Westchester County medical examiners office released a toxicology report on August 4 that showed that Schuler had a blood-alcohol content of 0.19%, with approximately six grams of alcohol in her stomach that had not yet been consumed. There is no definitive answer to this question as the medical community is still trying to understand all of the factors that may contribute to auto brewery syndrome. The pain of the abscess, combined with vodka and marijuana, could have put her in a temporary state of delirium that triggered her fatal behavior. It also fits both of their ridiculous theorys like the abyss causing a stroke. Police believe that the car was stopped in a pull-off area beyond the Tappan Zee Bridge tollbooths for at least part of this call. The woman's 5-year-old son survived. Performance & security by Cloudflare. Husband said, he never even wanted kids.there is more here. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Absolutely not with Pot on board. The red Ford minivan hurtled down the fast lane of the northbound Taconic State Parkway in Mount Pleasant but it wasn't going north. [36], Daniel's persistence in disputing his wife's intoxication and drug use was condemned by relatives of the three Trail Blazer victims. You may get nauseous. Dianes daughter, Barbara, expressed concern that the family did not know what happened to Diane. On that bright sunny day 10 years ago, families were shattered in a fiery crash that killed . No possible explanation suffices for the horrific July 26 crash, in which Ms. Schuler, returning from a camping trip, drove 1.7 miles in the wrong direction on a curvy . Two years after the horrific Taconic State Parkway crash, the husband of Diane Schuler is suing New York State and the father of three nieces who were killed when the Long Island mother drove the wrong way, slamming head-on into another vehicle and killing eight. Daniel then changed his story, and consistently denied that his wife ever "drank to excess" or could have been drunk while driving that day. Schuler herself then talked to Hance and said that she was disoriented and could not see clearly. [48] The suit claimed that the three deceased Hance girls suffered terror, fear of impending death, extreme horror, fright, and mental anguish. Leading up to the crash, it appeared as though Schuler was behaving normally. Diane Schulers death has left her family and friends in shock. No Tylenol at the gas station, already running behind and worried, hence the call to her brother, so she starts sipping. It was the worst accident in that area in 75 years and it devastated so many. Exploring The Calorie Content Of Shiner Bock Beer: How Many Calories In A Bottle? But if Schuler did have the condition, it could help explain why she seemed perfectly sober to those who saw her in the hours leading up to the crash, but was, in fact, intoxicated. On a timeline you can see for yourself missing time, where was she and what was she doing? These lives passed instantly when the crash happened. By Fiona Roberts. He was a child , not a husband. They got on Route 17/Interstate 86 and the New York Thruway (Interstate 87), Ramapo-Sloatsburg service area, and crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge, heading east. On a Sunday morning, Diane Schuler drove the wrong way up an off-ramp (pictured above) in a minivan filled with children onto the Taconic and proceeded two miles before crashing into an SUV head on and ending eight lives, including her own. The following photos are of the collision site only, and do not feature autopsy and cadaver photos. I just wish that he would just admit that she was drunk. The 2009 Taconic State Parkway crash was a traffic collision that occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, 2009, on the Taconic State Parkway in the town of Mount Pleasant, near the village of Briarcliff Manor, New York, United States. Her husband literally did nothing. Forensic investigator Michael Archer told WCBS, "We'll never know why she did this. Recommended. This week marks two years since Diane Schuler, a 36-year-old Long Island "supermom," caused a collision while driving a minivan the wrong way on New York's Taconic State Parkway. She leaves her phone on the barrier on the side of the road. It is a medical condition in which the stomach produces an abnormally high amount of ethanol after eating a meal high in carbohydrates. Toxicology tests conducted by the medical examiner revealed that Schuler was heavily intoxicated with both alcohol and marijuana at the time of the crash. If this was a standard ugly crash - fine, I totally buy it. I believe diane had some major medical pain that day. How will her brother Warren, whom shed called to tell she wasnt feeling well, ever stop blaming himself? Edit: Some people have pointed out other instances of drunk drivers driving on the wrong side of the highway, which is fair. Like untreated diabetes with even a few drinks mixed and abscess in tooth could all effect her state at the time. Three men in the Chevrolet outrider, 81-year-old Michael Bastardi, his 49-year-old son Guy, and Diane's boyfriend, . "[20][27] According to Tom Ruskin, a private investigator hired by Daniel's lawyers, none of the McDonald's employees had seen anything in Schuler's behavior to suggest that she was intoxicated. After a few years of having watched it about 3 times and reading everything on it, I think Ive come up with what I believe happened. The purse: In the documentary pause it at the photo of the Vodka bottle. This also drew criticism saying that a grand jury investigation into the crash should have been opened. Im not stupid and I understand the reality of her being drunk and high but I want to know why???? I would like to suggest a possibility. It is a rare medical condition that can be treated by treating auto-brewery syndrome (ABS) or Gut fermentation syndrome. The autopsy also revealed that Schuler was impaired by marijuana, DiFiore said. That, of course, makes her sick and drunk and still in pain and not thinking clearly at all. The bus was instantly engulfed in flames, ultimately resulting in the loss of 20 lives. I just dont think its as straight forward as it was portrayed . I think diane drank a bit but certainly not to get drunk. [10][19][20][21] The legal BAC limit for driving while intoxicated in New York is 0.08%. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. I wouldn't be surprised if Danny and her got into some fight, he said something he regretted, and likely feels some responsibility for what happened, but is afraid of criminal/legal/financial repercussions. [39][53], The Law & Order episode "Doped," which first aired in November 2009, centers on an extremely similar fictional crash. [23][32], Daniel denied that his wife took illegal drugs, but told investigators that his wife smoked marijuana "occasionally"; the family told People magazine that she used the drug to relieve insomnia. Personal experience and the description below from St. John's University would suggest that she would be coherent enough to know what she was doing, even if a bit drunk. You will have trouble walking or standing and are at a greater risk of hurting yourself physically. This is performed by accurately interpreting the clues left by the . According to the New York Post, Daniel Rother, Dianes husband, is suing the state and Warren Hance, Dianes brother, claiming that they were responsible for the crash that killed eight people. By 2014, all the lawsuits were either settled or dropped with the settlements sealed by a judge. #inline-recirc-item--id-d466033c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { Daniel Schulers insistence that his wife was not intoxicated at the time of the collision has drawn criticism, especially from the families of the victims in the Trailblazer. Margaret Nicotina, Bastardis daughter, said, Every time he does it, he brings it back for us. If she was in pain , drank to full it, then spoke to her brother and thought she wasnt going to be driving , smoking would have been ok for her to do because she wasnt going to be high and drive. Additionally, those who have recently taken a course of antibiotics may also be at an increased risk for auto brewery syndrome. (If you are a man, you will have difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection.) More research is needed to learn more about its causes and possible treatments. In her blackout she drove straight ( she thought) home to get there before anyone else but I think her real anger and pain took over and she ended up killing everyone in her deep pain. Her sister-in-law . But the egregious nature of the accident is highly unique. Please comment on the post. Barbara also mentioned an "abscess" that had persisted in Diane's mouth for seven weeks prior to her death, and a lump in her leg, about which she[who?] Hance told Schuler to pull off the road and wait for him to get to her and the children. Toxicology tests showed Diane Schuler, a 36-year-old Cablevision manager, had a .19 percent blood-alcohol level nearly 2 times today's .08 percent legal limit and had smoked pot within . Drunkenness was evident: a blood alcohol content of 0.19 with 6 grams of marijuana in the system, which was quite high. Many of the symptoms are similar to those of a person who has been extremely drunk: dizziness, erratic behavior, slurred speech, irritable bowel syndrome, belching, and chronic fatigue. I have read police reports and autopsy reports and read the book by Jackie Nance the 3 little girls mother. The police receive a report about 11 fatalities at the scene. [48] On July 26, 2011, the day after the premiere of the HBO documentary and on the second anniversary of the crash, Daniel sued the state for not "keeping the road safe" and his brother-in-law Warren Hance as the owner of the minivan that Diane was driving. Taconic death-driver Diane Schuler's family is seizing on autopsy results as proof she wasn't an alcoholic - even though they show she was drunk and stoned. The Long Island mother was driving home from a camping trip when she got on the Taconic and drove nearly two miles in the wrong direction before plowing head-on into an SUV. The backseat was occupied by two young children, one aged seven and the other five. According to a toxicology report released by Westchester County medical examiners on August 4, Schuler had a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.19%, with approximately six grams of alcohol in her stomach that had not yet been absorbed into her blood. July 26, 2011 -- Two years after the horrific Taconic State Parkway crash, the husband of Diane Schuler is suing New York State and the father of three nieces who were killed when the Long Island . Schuler, her daughter and three nieces, and the three passengers in the oncoming SUV were killed. Jackie Hance lived an inimaginable nightmare on July 26, 2009, when her three daughters, Emma, 8, Alyson, 7, and Katie, 5, were tragically killed by her sister-in-law Diane Schuler. Diane's son survived the accident with several injuries and the passengers in the Tracker suffered minor injuries. "The lengths these people are taking to deny reality are just astounding and painful to my clients," Irving Anolik, attorney for the Bastardis, told the News. Diane was highly controlled and did drink and smoke at least occasionally, and manage to function. The fact that she had killed 8 people seemed incidental . It even offers a theory as to why in the aftermath of the crash despite there being three families claiming to want the truth, in the end only the Bastardis actually meant what they said. Bryan was the only survivor of the crash. Diane Schuler was a 36-year-old Long Island woman who tragically killed herself and seven others in a fiery wrong-way car crash on the Taconic State Parkway in New York in 2009. Exploring Sweetwater Beer: Is It Worth Trying. Diane Schuler instantly died in the course of a single conversation. Between her personality, mother having abandoned her at young age, she became mother at very young age and husband that perhaps wasnt always useful. She apparently never stopped doing things. To me, this is all pretty cut and dry - she had been unhappy/depressed in her life for quite some time - raising kids with a deadbeat husband after having her own mother walk out at an early age. Her issues with her mother and brothers had never even been discussed much less resolved. Credit: www.alcoholproblemsandsolutions.org. The woman's 5-year-old son survived. "Diane Schuler died in the crash and the charges died with her," DiFiore said. 4 of the people killed were children and 3 others were injured. The Trailblazer would then struck a 2002 Chevrolet Tracker. Alex Murdaugh testifies 4 years after fatal boat crash involving son At 9:30am on July 26, 2009, Diane Schuler loaded up her two children (ages five and two) along with her brother's, Warren Hance, three daughters (ages eight, seven, and five) into her brother's red 2003 Ford Windstar and left the Hunter Lake Campground to start the journey to West Babylon, New York. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. The Journal News. responded that, if the fluid samples had been properly stored, the re-test results ought to be similar to the prior tests.