8 Die in Crash on Taconic State Parkway

[SleuthyMama]

If she was as much of an addict as we are all speculating she was then I'm pretty sure she had it with her. Either from their own trip to the campground or in her own personal stash, as SCM suggested.

 

[VCDaedalus]

lew, I think you might have nailed it.

 

[jnTexas]

This is probably dumb to ask, but I have never used weed or any other illegal drug. So here it goes.

Is it possible she smoked the weed to try and bring down the high of the Vodka? I have heard weed mellows you. Not that it matters as she was committing a serveral crimes. i'm just to understand why she was smoking it.

Also is it illegal to buy liquor before noon on Sundays in NY( it is in TX)? if so that would mean she either had this bottle from at least the day before, or she planned this.

My heart goes out to the family of the three victims in the other car. It's sad that they just learned their loved ones died in an accident that could've been prevented. I do believe the family of the drive and children knew from the moment they got the call what caused it.

Does insurance really not pay out if the driver was drunk? Wouldn't they have to pay for the other victims in the other car, and the other car? They insured the vehicle and the driver. I really hope these families are not victimized by the insurance company also.

I have absolutely no sympathy for this woman. She chose to drink that day. She chose to smoke weed that day. She chose to get behind the wheel. She placed these children in the car. She drove them around for 3+ hours passing numerous places she could've stopped at for help. She could've stopped and called a cab, a family member (I'm going with the statement the daughter called the dad and the aunt took the phone and threw it out), a friend, and/or a cop.

I am sad for her family that she is dead. I really want to know what was so bad in her life that she felt driving under the influence was her only option.

One more thing if it comes out that the Husband knew she was a drunk driver (that day or in the past) then he should be charged with child endangerment. I'm so sick of seeing these stories where spouses enable the users, child abusers, and get away with nothing. Yes I know he lost his wife and his child, but HE was the only other person on earth who his children trusted to keep them safe. If He knew He also failed them.

 

[SleuthyMama]

This is probably dumb to ask, but I have never used weed or any other illegal drug. So here it goes.

Is it possible she smoked the weed to try and bring down the high of the Vodka? I have heard weed mellows you. Not that it matters as she was committing a serveral crimes. i'm just to understand why she was smoking it.

Also is it illegal to buy liquor before noon on Sundays in NY( it is in TX)? if so that would mean she either had this bottle from at least the day before, or she planned this.

My heart goes out to the family of the three victims in the other car. It's sad that they just learned their loved ones died in an accident that could've been prevented. I do believe the family of the drive and children knew from the moment they got the call what caused it.

Does insurance really not pay out if the driver was drunk? Wouldn't they have to pay for the other victims in the other car, and the other car? They insured the vehicle and the driver. I really hope these families are not victimized by the insurance company also.

I have absolutely no sympathy for this woman. She chose to drink that day. She chose to smoke weed that day. She chose to get behind the wheel. She placed these children in the car. She drove them around for 3+ hours passing numerous places she could've stopped at for help. She could've stopped and called a cab, a family member (I'm going with the statement the daughter called the dad and the aunt took the phone and threw it out), a friend, and/or a cop.

I am sad for her family that she is dead. I really want to know what was so bad in her life that she felt driving under the influence was her only option.

One more thing if it comes out that the Husband knew she was a drunk driver (that day or in the past) then he should be charged with child endangerment. I'm so sick of seeing these stories where spouses enable the users, child abusers, and get away with nothing. Yes I know he lost his wife and his child, but HE was the only other person on earth who his children trusted to keep them safe. If He knew He also failed them.

Can't speak to your whole post but I will address a few things. First of all, the one and only time I ever got really drunk and mixed it with weed I got violently ill so that was the first and only time I ever did that.

Yes, in NYS you cannot purchase alcohol prior to 12 PM on Sundays. I mentioned that a few posts up but you must have missed it. So it would seem she had the booze with her either from the weekend trip or stashed somewhere in her own belongings.

I have read that insurance will not pay out if it is a DUI but I don't know if that means the just Mr. Schuler will not receive a payout on the death of his wife and daughter or if that means the other families will not be compensated as well. I agree with you and hope that they are not burned by the insurance company on top of losing their family members.

As for the rest of your post (so much for me not commenting on the whole thing) I agree with you. I am finding it harder and harder to have sympathy for Ms. Schuler and her addiction(s). I know in my heart I should but I'm still way too angry at the loss of such innocent people.

 

[southcitymom]

Just a thought... a co-worker of mine was on vaca with family when her sister became very disoriented, shaking and passed out... after 2 days in the hopital it came out that she was an alcoholic and was going through detox. 2 days with the family around all the time - she wasn't able to sneak her drinks. She was a stay at home mom and no one ever suspected anything until then. After - we went through the house and found her stash and a neighbor came forward and said he had seen her hit a mailbox in the neighbor a week before and thought she might have been drunk - with the kids in the car BUT didn't think it was his place to say anything.

What I am getting at in a VERY long-winded way... Maybe she couldn't sneak in her "normal" drinks while on vaca with the family - hence drinking in the car to try an "level" out.

My father had a grand mal seizure in the receiving line of my sister's wedding. The seizure was a direct result of him trying to detox himself for the big day - in the ambulance, he blew a .43. Think about that - his blood alcohol level was .43 and he did not have enough alcohol in his body to keep a seizure at bay.

Someone with no tolerance would die with that level of alcohol. FWIW, my father wasn't really acting much different that day - maybe kinda mellowy drunk (but that was nothing new). None of us who knew him best thought anything was THAT out of order.

 

[southcitymom]

This is probably dumb to ask, but I have never used weed or any other illegal drug. So here it goes.

Is it possible she smoked the weed to try and bring down the high of the Vodka? I have heard weed mellows you. Not that it matters as she was committing a serveral crimes. i'm just to understand why she was smoking it.

......

(respectfully snipped)

Sure - that is possible. Addicts use to control things. If she was feeling sick from too much alcohol, she may well have tried to smooth out the edges with weed. Or she may have just enjoyed alcohol and weed together.

To try to understand why an addict uses is a fairly endless task that doesn't reveal much. In the thick of it, I used A LOT every single day - whether it was a good day or a bad day didn't matter a whit - I simply wasn't able to NOT use. Most honest addicts will say the same thing - we use because it's Tuesday or because we got a paycheck or because the kids were awful or because we're so proud of the kids.....etc...etc...ad nauseum. Trying to figure out a using addict is like trying to figure out a mentally ill person.

 

[SleuthyMama]

Gotta say one more thing....when I'm out on the road driving, by myself or with Mr. SleuthyMama, I am constantly amazed at reckless driving by other motorists.

I really believe many people forget that they are driving what can all too often and easily be, a deadly weapon. I never used to be afraid to drive but we've had to go back and forth to the city lately and I tell you, more often than not, I'm on the edge of the passerger seat with my hands clenching the dashboard.

 

[MrsG728]

I have to admit, I was more than shocked at this news. For days I was just hoping that they'd leave these three families alone and the media would stop re-hashing everything out loud in the news. I don't know why, but I never thought that the results of the toxicology report would be drugs and alcohol. I am still waiting for someone to come out and say "oops, wrong person!" Sadly, I know this won't happen...

SCM, thanks for your posts/ideas on this story. You have made so many good points.

 

[Shecky]

This is probably dumb to ask, but I have never used weed or any other illegal drug. So here it goes.

Is it possible she smoked the weed to try and bring down the high of the Vodka? I have heard weed mellows you. Not that it matters as she was committing a serveral crimes. i'm just to understand why she was smoking it.

snipped.

Weed does tend to mellow people out, but so does booze. If anything, if you were trying to reverse the effects of your drunkenness you'd want a stimulant -- pull over and chug down a Red Bull or two.

It is possible that she believed it would help? I suppose so. But I'd tend to think that an adult that had any experience with weed would know otherwise.

 

[ElizaAvalon]

And, so, the circus begins. Schuler's husband has hired Dominic Barbara, of all lawyers:

Sources told The Post that Schuler's husband, Daniel, has hired Long Island lawyer Dominic Barbara and will hold a news conference tomorrow.

Police said the Schuler and Hance families have not cooperated with investigators.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/0805200...way_drivers_family_should_have_bee_183119.htm

 

[lew657]

Regarding the question of insurance... my understanding is that your insurance does not cover you if you are operating your commiting a crime. Since DUI is criminal it would stand to reason that the insurance will not pay.

I am sure in hindsight the family and friends are thinking about all the signs that were there of the addiction. However, addicts tend to have a personality that allows them cover-up very easily.

 

[RR0004]

If you don't mind I would like to chime in. This was the leading story on all the local news channel's last night and it is one the front page of the local papers and of course Diane is being called a murderer which unfortunately is what she is.

I am also recovering from addiction and although I wouldn't say I was an alcoholic I probably was by most people's standards. Having had my fingers in more than one pie at a time I feel I can say that addict or not I would have the prescence of mind not to drink a bottle of Vodka, put my kids in the car and drive. I would have been much more likely to drive while high on pot or in my case on opiates which gives you a much different feeling than alcohol - you feel and are much more in control, calm, capable and let's be honest I am afraid about 1/4 of the population is driving around hopped up on their prescription meds but of course in some cases, like mine, it gets out of control and goes to a whole other level.
While addiction is a disease, it is mis-understood by people who have never been there, withdrawal from alcohol is very difficult and most people can't do it alone that doesn't excuse the fact that I have no doubt Diane was well aware of the dangers of driving that drunk but I am sure after drinking a bottle of vodka she felt invincible and beligerent. We don't know if she was an alcoholic. Maybe she was just having a day where she decided to throw caution to the wind and just let lose. Either way, She made a horribly selfish decision with deadly results. Any way you look at - a mother struggling with addiction who needed help or a mother who gave into her flights of fancy on a Sunday morning it is just horribly tragic obviously for the children and the other 3 men who died but also because Diane Schuller, who I don't doubt loved her children despite her bad decisions, will always be remembered as the murderer of her children, her nieces and the 3 other men. That is her legacy now.

I am starting to get the impression that Diane's immediate family was aware of a situation and I hope that out of all of this death a lesson can be learned. I think that lesson is pretty obvious. If her family was aware Diane had addiction issues no one should have left those children in her care unattended. And if you are a person who is struggling with addiction, reach out and get help as soon as possible.

Great post!

And for all we know she was the straightest of the bunch at the campsight. Any reason given why there wasn't another adult accompanying her home?

 

[RR0004]

And, so, the circus begins. Schuler's husband has hired Dominic Barbara, of all lawyers:

Sources told The Post that Schuler's husband, Daniel, has hired Long Island lawyer Dominic Barbara and will hold a news conference tomorrow.

Police said the Schuler and Hance families have not cooperated with investigators.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/0805200...way_drivers_family_should_have_bee_183119.htm

Hiring a lawyer right now is probably one of the smartest things they can do. Personally, I can't even imagine them thinking, yet alone talking, through their kind of pain. They're dealing with a lot. Better to have someone else speaking for them.

 

[reb]

I do absolutely believe in PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.... however,, it's insane, pathetic idiots like this woman who justify the increasing need for a so-called 'nanny state'... more and more every day.......... unfortunate but true. Everyone is saying 'the cops should have done this',, 'we should have more checkpoints',, 'breathalyzers in cars',, etc.... well THIS is a perfect example of why we need more and more controls.. because too many idiotic people cannot control THEMSELVES.. and they ruin it for everyone.
I actually think there should be a new branch of law enforcement that ONLY patrols the roads & highways.. stationed at all major intersections... that specifically looks for drunk and aggressive drivers. Tax bars & liquor stores to pay for it. And there should be a way to stop them that would not allow a car chase to occur. We should get tougher on booze sales too. People need to grow the hell up and deal with life without having to be addicted to one thing or another.

 

[ElizaAvalon]

Hiring a lawyer right now is probably one of the smartest things they can do. Personally, I can't even imagine them thinking, yet alone talking, through their kind of pain. They're dealing with a lot. Better to have someone else speaking for them.

Yeah, but Dominic Barbara? He's a media hound. Google him. He represents people simply for the amount of publicity he is going to get.

 

[southcitymom]

Hiring a lawyer right now is probably one of the smartest things they can do. Personally, I can't even imagine them thinking, yet alone talking, through their kind of pain. They're dealing with a lot. Better to have someone else speaking for them.

Amen.

 

[zippitydoda]

Hiring a lawyer right now is probably one of the smartest things they can do. Personally, I can't even imagine them thinking, yet alone talking, through their kind of pain. They're dealing with a lot. Better to have someone else speaking for them.

Well, I've not heard the name Dominic Barbara in a long, long time. If you recall these two famous NY nitwits, Joey Buttafucco and Jessica Hahn - yeah this guy was their attorney. They just raised this to circus level. Just google him and you'll be reminded why people make lawyer jokes.

This story is horrific - simply, completely, unnessesary. Never, ever should have happened. They were babies. To the family of the 3 innocent men who were also murdered, I wish them strength in what will certainly be a battle for the truth. Her family needs to step up, accept that this has happened, and do the right thing by providing the answers to the questions that must be asked.

 

[grace60]

Hiring a lawyer right now is probably one of the smartest things they can do. Personally, I can't even imagine them thinking, yet alone talking, through their kind of pain. They're dealing with a lot. Better to have someone else speaking for them.

I know about how the families of the drunk driver feel. I had a sibling who died and killed 3 innocent people while driving drunk. It's been over 20 years ago and I still think of the victims every single day. I seldom talk about it and very few of my friends know about it. One friend actually got mad at me, I lived nowhere near this sibling and was not in this persons life at all. Non of our family knew how much this person drank. I never saw my parents in such agony in my life. They aged 10 years overnight. And to this day they are not the same. I hesitated to even post for fear one of the victims family members could be reading here. I do the best I can do to educate people about how dangerous it is and I do not hesitate to call 911 and follow a drunk driver until the police catch up with them. I know 14 people have been arrested, the last one just 3 weeks ago, :clap: because of me and I'm proud of it. Until you live through the horror of something like this you cannot imagine how awful it is. So I'm asking anyone if they see a drunk driver and you have a cell phone do not hesitate to call 911. I agree there is something funny about this story. The husband had to have known more than he is saying. When people drink that much the booze seeps out through their pores and they sweat it out the next day and you can smell it. Drinking vodka would not stop that.

 

[daisy7]

((hugs)) Grace!

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Another acquaintance of mine drove his best friend home from a bar while he was in a blackout. Apparently, the friend was hanging out of the window and something happened (not an accident per se, but he drove to close to something) and the friend was decapitated. My acquaintance had no idea - he just kept driving, pulled into his driveway and parked, walked inside and had a conversation with his brother (who had no idea he was in a blackout) and went to bed. He discovered his friend's body the next morning when he got into his car to drive to work. He's in jail now.

I remember that story. I thought it had happened in St. Louis or Atlanta, couldn't remember which. Sorry to your acquaintance friend. What a horrible tragedy