8 Die in Crash on Taconic State Parkway #2

[fran]

People dont just start out hiding their drinking problem, it slowly gets pushed into the closet and hid from people. If she had a drinking problem and the husband didnt know then someone did because she wouldnt of been hiding it for no reason. Either she drank and hid it because she was addressed on her issues and didnt want to accept them or some of the family knew of it and she didnt hide it at all. Or somehow the broken bottle of vodka absorbed into an open wound as she was dying in the wrecked van.

I'm with your Soulmagent. I don't know what happened, but I'd sure want a second opinion..

JMHO
fran

 

[coklat]

People dont just start out hiding their drinking problem, it slowly gets pushed into the closet and hid from people. If she had a drinking problem and the husband didnt know then someone did because she wouldnt of been hiding it for no reason. Either she drank and hid it because she was addressed on her issues and didnt want to accept them or some of the family knew of it and she didnt hide it at all. Or somehow the broken bottle of vodka absorbed into an open wound as she was dying in the wrecked van.

BBM

I imagine you're being facetious but the booze had to have been swallowed: the ME reported a significant amount of undigested alcohol in her stomach:

"A toxicology report released on August 4 by Westchester County medical examiners found that Schuler had a blood-alcohol content of 0.19, with approximately ten drinks in her stomach that had not yet been absorbed into her blood."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Taconic_State_Parkway_crash

 

[arielilane]

Clearly in this last photo of Diane Schuler she is holding a drink (both hands?).

 

[Malini2001]

I thought of this accident today as I was driving I-95 .I had turned off to get gas and went to get back on the interstate when my gps starting telling me to make a right , Onto to exit ramp into oncomeing traffic. I knew not to do that of course and I wasnt drinking or smoking weed but It made me think. Has anyone else had a gps try and kill them?
I just wondered if she did have a gps and even though she was drunk if it is possible the reason she entered the highway could of been faulty gps directions.

I think an error with the gps could be a contributing cause. My sister was traveling out of state recently and the gps was telling her to "turn now" which would have had her turning into a farmer's corn field. Even after it "re-calculated" it told her to turn there. So someone following the gps instructions without thinking could have turned the wrong way onto an expressway. But why keep going when you found yourself against oncoming traffic?

 

[tapu]

I think an error with the gps could be a contributing cause. My sister was traveling out of state recently and the gps was telling her to "turn now" which would have had her turning into a farmer's corn field. Even after it "re-calculated" it told her to turn there. So someone following the gps instructions without thinking could have turned the wrong way onto an expressway. But why keep going when you found yourself against oncoming traffic?

Could it have been... the alcohol?

 

[buffetoflies]

I came across this account by someone who was at the site of the accident on craigslist. Thought maybe some here would want to read it.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/nyc/1306619502.html

 

[Only4Justice]

so I've been following this thread since the horrific accident.

I have been through alot in my life, including currently having a sister who we will probably lose to alcoholism....to drinking myself.

UNLESS they got the wrong tests back (I guess I really don't put anything past the 'authorities')

In My Own Very Humble Opinion...

DIANE was drunk and high when the accident happened. As someone who has drank with kids, I NEVER drove with all those kids when I knew I would party. BUT I can see it happening.....Diane not wanting to admit she couldn't do it. It would have taken her admitting to someone that she
couldn't drive......she wanted to hide it

I feel bad for Daniel, but there is NO WAY that he did not know she drank. Unless you drink Vodka alot, you cannot just drink as much as she had in her system. I couldn't at least.

He knew she drank and so did many other people. IN MY OPINION

 

[Bobbisangel]

My sister is a recovering alcoholic/drug addict. I completely hear what you are saying. Especially if you don't have an immense amount of experience with addicts, you just don't know. Many, many, many times I talked to my sister on the phone, she would slur a few words, and I chalked it up to her being tired or her just misspeaking. People who are naive to this (not faulting them for it, they just haven't been through it enough) just DON'T KNOW.

The addict is always a million steps ahead of you. They are manipulative, crafty and know all of the tricks in the book. After working with addicts/alcoholics for a number of years I can see how Diane was way ahead of her husband in keeping her drinking problem a secret from him. I also understand why he wants her name cleared. He is in denial because he didn't ever see her like she was when the accident happened.

 

[Bobbisangel]

People dont just start out hiding their drinking problem, it slowly gets pushed into the closet and hid from people. If she had a drinking problem and the husband didnt know then someone did because she wouldnt of been hiding it for no reason. Either she drank and hid it because she was addressed on her issues and didnt want to accept them or some of the family knew of it and she didnt hide it at all. Or somehow the broken bottle of vodka absorbed into an open wound as she was dying in the wrecked van.

Have you ever read Betty Ford's book about her hiding her alcohol and covering up so that no one would know that she was drinking? Her book is really good and it tells how a person can drink at home and no one know for a long time. I believe that none of Diane's family knew of her secret drinking at home. It's really not that hard to hide bottles and sneak a drink when you want. Just ask Betty Ford and every other alcoholic that has done it.

 

[arielilane]

I came across this account by someone who was at the site of the accident on craigslist. Thought maybe some here would want to read it.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/nyc/1306619502.html

buffetoflies, wow...thanks for posting.

 

[arielilane]

Elizabeth Spratt, the director of the lab where Diane's toxicology report was conducted, says the results are 100 percent correct. "There is no chance of error. We did a lot of work. We have standards. Controls. Checking and rechecking that we do for all of our work," she says. "This is standard for anything we do in the laboratory, and we stand by everything we reported."

Elizabeth says each victim was tested, but only Diane had traces of marijuana and alcohol in her system. "I feel very sad for the entire tragedy, but I know that our results are accurate and we did many samples. We didn't just do a blood sample to see that the alcohol level was here," she says. "We did vitreous humor [fluid testing behind the eyes], which was even higher. We did gastric contents. We did brain and urine, so we know that these all match with the alcohol level in the blood."
Elizabeth Spratt, the director of the lab where Diane's toxicology report was conducted, says the results are 100 percent correct. "There is no chance of error. We did a lot of work. We have standards. Controls. Checking and rechecking that we do for all of our work," she says. "This is standard for anything we do in the laboratory, and we stand by everything we reported."

Elizabeth says each victim was tested, but only Diane had traces of marijuana and alcohol in her system. "I feel very sad for the entire tragedy, but I know that our results are accurate and we did many samples. We didn't just do a blood sample to see that the alcohol level was here," she says. "We did vitreous humor [fluid testing behind the eyes], which was even higher. We did gastric contents. We did brain and urine, so we know that these all match with the alcohol level in the blood." Elizabeth Spratt, the director of the lab where Diane's toxicology report was conducted, says the results are 100 percent correct. "There is no chance of error. We did a lot of work. We have standards. Controls. Checking and rechecking that we do for all of our work," she says. "This is standard for anything we do in the laboratory, and we stand by everything we reported."

Elizabeth says each victim was tested, but only Diane had traces of marijuana and alcohol in her system. "I feel very sad for the entire tragedy, but I know that our results are accurate and we did many samples. We didn't just do a blood sample to see that the alcohol level was here," she says. "We did vitreous humor [fluid testing behind the eyes], which was even higher. We did gastric contents. We did brain and urine, so we know that these all match with the alcohol level in the blood."
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20091022-tows-diane-schuler/6

 

[arielilane]

Remembering Michael Bastardi, Guy Bastardi and Daniel Longo

"Wonderful" was the word used to describe Guy Bastardi and his father, Michael. Loves ones say that if you were a friend to them, you were family. If you were family, then you were a friend.

Michael loved his family. He had 10 grandchildren and two great grandchildren, and nothing brought him more joy than spending time with them. He also loved working on cars. If anyone had a problem in their house, then he wanted to be the one to fix it.

Guy was the type of person you could always call and he'd be there for you. He, too, was a big family man who loved to cook and travel.

Also riding in the car with the Bastardis was Daniel Longo—remembered as a good friend, brother and uncle. All who knew him say he was a gentle person who didn't have a mean bone in his body. His brother says that he retired four years ago from a job he held for more than 25 years, and he was just starting to enjoy life.

A statement from Margaret Nicotina, sister of Guy and daughter of Michael:
People who make a choice to drink and get high and then drive a car should understand all the lives their choices touch. My dad and brother were a huge part of not only my life but their grandchildren, nieces and nephews. There are 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren whose lives are forever changed. They were robbed of their grandfather's love and wisdom and their uncle's love and humor. Families who are aware that someone in their family has a problem should do whatever they have to, to stop the murders that drunken drivers commit.

A statement from Roseann M. Guzzo, sister of Guy and daughter of Michael: Not a day passes since July 26, 2009, that I don't cry about the senseless, preventable murder of my father, brother and friend. Diane Schuler has robbed my family of priceless time we could have shared together. She was drunk and high and used her car as a weapon. My family prays for the murky events of that day to be cleared. I hope that the same laws that were extended for gangs will someday be applied to people who witness drunk or high people getting behind the wheel of a car, especially when children are involved. Recent tragedies involving drunken drivers have made that more relevant to cases like this.
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20091022-tows-schuler-family-statements/2

 

[arielilane]

Erin Schuler is the two-year-old daughter of Diane and Daniel Schuler. She was a little tomboy who loved to go fishing with her dad, who she idolized. Erin loved the color green, even though she couldn't pronounce the word! She had just started to make complete sentences and looked forward to getting new dress shoes. She looked up to her big brother, Bryan, and hung on his every word.
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20091022-tows-schuler-family-statements

 

[arielilane]

Have you ever read Betty Ford's book about her hiding her alcohol and covering up so that no one would know that she was drinking? Her book is really good and it tells how a person can drink at home and no one know for a long time. I believe that none of Diane's family knew of her secret drinking at home. It's really not that hard to hide bottles and sneak a drink when you want. Just ask Betty Ford and every other alcoholic that has done it.

I agree. On Oprah yesterday they had a lady very similar to Diane Schuler who was hiding her drinking. It is so common for women these days with the stress of having to do it all.
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20091022-tows-alcohol-qa

 

[ElizaAvalon]

FWIW, I drove across country with one of my daughters and her friend earlier this year, during the summer. And YES, there were times the gps told us to turn, when there was NO exit or anywhere CLOSE to being a turn. One instance, they said turn right and it was OFF A CLIFF of a MOUNTAIN in the middle of the Rockey Mountains.

I don't know what happened in THIS CASE, but I do know that gps can often times be incorrect and SOME people will follow the instructions.

I also recall in one of the National murder cases here on WS, where one of the victim's family spoke of how he'd driven his vehicle into a body of water, because his gps had said to turn right,..................and he DID! I thought to myself, what an idiot,..................but yet,.................I then recalled the same instruction given to us, and we could physically see there was NO WAY!

JMHO
fran

Well, 2 things:

- her family says she did not have a GPS in her vehicle
- she drove this route many times and most likely did not need a GPS anyway
- I am familiar with this route and I can tell you that the exit that she used on the other side of the bridge is very difficult to navigate, GPS or otherwise. I've posted about this months ago and I don't remember exactly what I wrote but it's very easy to go south when you want to go north and vice versa from that exit - even straight.

 

[Native New Yorker]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/07/nyregion/07taconic.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

"The sister-in-law of the woman who killed herself and seven others when she hit another car head-on while driving the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway in July, told investigators that the woman smoked marijuana regularly and was a heavy drinker, according to a lawyer for the family of two of the victims."


All I can say is wow, just wow.:furious::furious:

Also, did anyone watch Law and Order last night, about a wrong way crash???

 

[angelmom]

I came across this account by someone who was at the site of the accident on craigslist. Thought maybe some here would want to read it.

http://www.craigslist.org/about/best/nyc/1306619502.html

This is very creepy. It is a little disturbing how casually Sgt. Temple is taking all of this info. He seems like he can barely be bothered. You can't help but wonder if someone had acted a little more quickly if they could have been found and saved.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/07/nyregion/07taconic.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

"The sister-in-law of the woman who killed herself and seven others when she hit another car head-on while driving the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway in July, told investigators that the woman smoked marijuana regularly and was a heavy drinker, according to a lawyer for the family of two of the victims."


All I can say is wow, just wow.:furious::furious:

Also, did anyone watch Law and Order last night, about a wrong way crash???

I'm with you. WOW. That's a far cry from a margarita once a year. How did Daniel think he was going to cover that up?

I TiVo'ed L&O and am in the middle. Interesting that their storyline goes with it NOT being the woman's fault...at least so far.

Don't tell me the end!

 

[Native New Yorker]

No, I will not tell you the end...I could not even stand to watch the beginning, given my knowledge of the actual case....

 

[arielilane]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/07/nyregion/07taconic.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

"The sister-in-law of the woman who killed herself and seven others when she hit another car head-on while driving the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway in July, told investigators that the woman smoked marijuana regularly and was a heavy drinker, according to a lawyer for the family of two of the victims."


All I can say is wow, just wow.:furious::furious:

Also, did anyone watch Law and Order last night, about a wrong way crash???

Thank you for posting the article NNY. I regret hearing the story; however, I am not surprised. I knew the truth would come out. I think most knew a person is not a rare drinker or smoker that would drink that much or smoke in front of children and be a rare user.

 

[lizzybeth]

I'm not putting any blame on the parents (sister-in-law and brother), but I just wonder if they thought that the husband would be the one driving their children to and from the campsite?