8 Die in Crash on Taconic State Parkway

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pudd said:
And see, there were parents who were enabling the behaviour.

There have been a couple of serious drink-driving accidents/fatalities here where the driver has already had his/her license taken away for previous incidents. You can't make someone stop driving if they have access to a car and the keys.
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True, but when this neighbor got behind the wheel of his mother's car after I suspected his license was suspended, I called the cops on him, and they did arrest him for driving without a license.
 
Bobbisangel said:
This is so darn typical....other drivers see a woman in a mini van with children on board driving like a crazy woman and not one of them grabbed their cell phone or stopped somewhere to make a 911 call. Why didn't they??? Maybe LE could have stopped Diane before she headed down that one way highway.
I'm not saying the wreck was their fault but when people see another person driving like Diane was driving there should have been 911 calls going out like mad. People just don't want to get involved but what is a phone call!!! I've turned in crazy drivers that nearly forced me off the road and it seemed like they were drunk. If LE didn't get them at least I made that call. When someone is driving like Diane was they are either drunk....in a rage...or having a medical problem. Regardless, 911's wires should have been burning up with calls.
UI.
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I thought some drivers did call 911.
 
JBean said:
I thought some drivers did call 911.
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You are correct, JBean. I don't have a link handy but I know somewhere in the thread there is at least one article that states other drivers did call 911 on her when it was believed she was the person driving erratically.

My guess, and it's total speculation, is that none of the callers were able to get a plate number and that's possibly why she wasn't stopped.

There is an article in this morning's NY Post (and as usual, take it for what it's worth coming from the Post) that states that the Hances are no longer speaking to Daniel Schuler and have forged a relationship with the Bastardi and Longo families.

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08122009/news/regionalnews/taconic_clan_split_184178.htm
 
I too have been refraining from posting on this thread. My husband's first cousin, young, married, and newly pregnant, was killed by a drunken driver who was fighting with his wife while driving. The pain that family suffered cannot be put into words. LaLaw, I am sorry to learn of your son's death. You have traveled a hard road through no fault of your own. Barbara Schuler's family is in a state of denial that can only be compared to that of George and Cindy Anthony. The best thing the husband can do is to stop this crazy spin story, and face the truth - as awful as it may be. The Schuler family 's response only elicited further anger from the other families who lost loved ones in this accident. Finally, Mr. Schuler and his family have much healing to do, and this can only happen after facing the truth. A tragedy for so many is only being made more tragic by Mr. Schuler's response. IMHO
 
Fortunately, my life has not been touched by a victim of a drunk driver, but rather the driver itself. In Texas, which has the highest death penalty rate, on his THIRD DWI enhanced to a FELONY, he got 3 months in a bipolar treatment center. No jailtime, no license issues, no breathylizer on the car,,, 3 months in a "treatment center".
Real quick....just to show you how drunk he really was....he was driving erratically down a six lane road (3 one way, 3 the opposite). People came out of their HOUSES to watch him, terrified he was going to kill someone, calling 911 right after the other. Eventually, he just came to a dead stop, right there, middle lane...no light, no nothing, just stopped. When the police got there and attempted to give him a sobriety test, he fell over hard enough to need stitches after bumping his head on the police car.
THREE MONTHS.
It's a miracle he, nor anyone else was killed.
He should be locked up.
 
southcitymom said:
My opinion is that it'll just be a boring family phone call - dealing with logistics or something - didn't the three girls have some sort of performance or rehearsal? I don't think the phone calls will reveal anything that might be meaningful to understanding DS's choices and their terrible outcome.
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I think you might be right about the phone call. I was also thinking that maybe the call was from Diane's SIL wondering whether or not the girls were going to be home in time to leave for their perfomance. Maybe the SIL and Diane had words if Diane indicated that she was running late. Maybe this caused Diane to become agitated, angry and resentful that she (Diane) was in charge of taking ALL of the kids home from the vacation.
 
This whole story just breaks my heart. I don't understand how nobody knew this lady was such a drinker. She wasn't just a 'social' drinker to be able to put away that much alcohol in that short of time. The poor children I can't wrap my mind around this at all...
 
It does state in the article that Diane Schulers estate can be sued. I thought so.

ETA: Personally, I would not sue her estate only because of the 5 year old son.
 
Mygirlsadie said:
This whole story just breaks my heart. I don't understand how nobody knew this lady was such a drinker. She wasn't just a 'social' drinker to be able to put away that much alcohol in that short of time. The poor children I can't wrap my mind around this at all...
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IMO, I think alot of people associated with this type of situation know, but don't want to know. And then after something bad happens don't want to look stupid for not realizing how bad it was, or look bad for not doing anything and they deny the problem completely. I see this in alot of different crimes commited ala The Anthony family.
 
LaLaw2000 said:
It does state in the article that Diane Schulers estate can be sued. I thought so.

ETA: Personally, I would not sue her estate only because of the 5 year old son.
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I doubt she has a pile of money in an estate, but who knows. I am assuming they are a "normal" middle class couple - the deed for the house will go back to the Husband upon her death, any life insurance policy will not be up for grabs, the car's gone. She might have some separate assets, but probably not anything huge. I wonder how 401Ks or other retirement accounts are handled?
 
Well once the lawyers get involved, everybody and their grandma will be sued... the nature of that beast :mad: .
 
Bobbisangel said:
Who is Daniel Longo? There were eight people killed in the wreck and there were six in Diane's van and two in the Bastardi's vehicle.
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What Lex stated.

Lexington said:
Daniel Longo was a close friend of the Bastardi family who was also killed along with the Bastardi father and son. Diane was riding with five children, one of which, her son, survived.
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Thank you, Lex.
 
Kat said:
This is off topic to this thread but the intention of seeking answers and not money jiggled a memory in my mind about the man that drove intoxicated the wrong way on a Highway in KY and struck a bus of children and adults.

There were several lawsuits that resulted and took many years to resolve, but the one that stuck in my mind was the lawsuit brought about by the parents of one child that perished. They asked for this settlement: That every year on the anniversary of the crash, the perp (who lived through the crash) had to send a one dollar bill to the family. So that they knew he would never forget that day.
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O/T answer....I remember the story all too well. The signs off the highway are chilling. However, they are necessary.
Carrollton, Kentucky bus collision
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carrollton,_Kentucky_bus_collision
 
LaLaw2000 said:
I have really tried to not post on this thread from the beginning because I am biased. I have no tolerance for anyone who drinks and drives. The undigested alcohol in Diane's stomach leaves no doubt that she was very intoxicated.

My son was killed on Thanksgiving Day, 1999, by a drunk driver. I know what it is like to lose a loved one because of a drunk driver. My heart goes out to all of the families who lost loved ones in this tragedy. I told my story in a thread in the parking lot a while ago.

There is no excuse whatsoever for Diane having drank that amount of alcohol and driven. Especially with children in the car - helpless, innocent victims. Even if Diane was on anti depressants, she knew not to mix them with alcohol. She was an executive with a cable company. She could not have held that position if she were dumb or stupid. No one made her drink or smoke pot. No one. It was her fault and I hate to hear anyone make excuses for her. There are none.

My heart and deepest sympathies are with the family of the children and the family of the three men who were killed in this tragic accident. There has to be answers and they deserve answers.

I do respect recovering addicts and people who realize he/she has a real problem and does something about it. (((southcitymom)))

I feel that driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol do need to have more dire consequesces than there are now. While some drunk drivers are feeling invincible, they are killing innocent people. IMO, there should be severe consequesces for that.

I have read every post in this thread. I have started posts, then deleted them before submitting. Just now, I knew I had to go ahead and get it out of my system. I have -0- tolerance for drinking and driving. I have -0- tolerance for doing any type of mind altering drug and driving. Anyone can do what they want in their own home, but don't get out there and kill innocent people because you have no self discipline.

I have Irish Coffees at home and drink a glass of wine every once in a while. I do not think everyone should swear off of drinking, just do not drink and drive. My son drank beer and went out to clubs with his college buds. He had not had a drop that Thanksgiving Day he was killed by someone who was drinking at 2 PM that day.

The only comment I have on Daniel Schuler at this time is that I do not believe he had no clue about Diane's drinking.
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LaLaw, Please accept my sincere condolences. I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your son. I agree with everything you wrote. Thank you for speaking up. I look forward to reading more of your posts.

There are just no words to express the sadness I feel for you and the loss of your son. I have a son and I cannot imagine the pain. ((((hugs))))
ariel
 
Kateyes said:
I too have been refraining from posting on this thread. My husband's first cousin, young, married, and newly pregnant, was killed by a drunken driver who was fighting with his wife while driving. The pain that family suffered cannot be put into words. LaLaw, I am sorry to learn of your son's death. You have traveled a hard road through no fault of your own. Barbara Schuler's family is in a state of denial that can only be compared to that of George and Cindy Anthony. The best thing the husband can do is to stop this crazy spin story, and face the truth - as awful as it may be. The Schuler family 's response only elicited further anger from the other families who lost loved ones in this accident. Finally, Mr. Schuler and his family have much healing to do, and this can only happen after facing the truth. A tragedy for so many is only being made more tragic by Mr. Schuler's response. IMHO
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Kateyes,
My condolences to you and your family for the loss that you all have experienced. Two lives lost because someone could not drive without drinking. How pathetic.

I too think that the Schuler family needs to own up to what DS did. I agree with what you wrote.
 
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