8 Die in Crash on Taconic State Parkway

[browneyes]

Wow, I really didn't think this story could get more sad...but it does. What a horrible, completely avoidable tragedy.
I do wish the family would be upfront and honest with law enforcement and with the other family of the victims.
I really don't see the need for lawsuits though. The person responsible is dead.
I wish both families the best during this horrible time.

 

[southcitymom]

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

Atlanta. He was in my extended circle here. It was awful.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Well I just read every post and I am mortified by this story.

I really don't have the words to properly explain my thoughts.

My mother drove drunk when i was young and in the car with her. It was raining and my brother and i were in the back seat. We weren't going very fast.
We had an accident and luckily it wasn't very serious.

I didn't touch a drop of alcohol until my 20s. Scared me so bad.
And I never smoked pot.
It is my understanding though that pot doesn't cause accidents or bad behavior... couldn't speak from experience.
I am sure it's the alcohol.

I just can't fathom how she drove the wrong way on a highway with cars coming at her, drunk or not. You'd think she would've wrecked long before or hurt more people.

Her poor children and nieces... wow, they must've known and must've been terrified.

I do wonder why she was left to drive them home.
Makes no sense.
This whole thing is senseless.

My prayers go out to the families of the all the victims.
And the poor little boy who survived. I hope he is well and sheltered from all of this pain and agony.

 

[Native New Yorker]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/nyregion/06crash.html?ref=nyregion

"On the day of the crash, several drivers reported seeing a minivan matching the description Mr. Hance gave traveling east on Route 17 and south on the New York State Thruway, moving erratically and aggressively. The minivan’s driver straddled lanes, witnesses told the police, tailgated cars and honked at other drivers.
Prior to the crash on the Taconic, the last contact Ms. Schuler had with anyone was a cellphone call at 1:02 p.m. to her brother at his home. Investigators said they believed she was on the Westchester side of the Tappan Zee Bridge, because Mr. Hance’s 8-year-old daughter, Emma, got on the phone and said she could see a sign for Tarrytown. Ms. Schuler’s cellphone was found later near the bridge’s toll plaza."

( much more in article)

 

[Invisible]

I still think she was angry for some reason. I think the husband and/or the brother know why.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

From what i've read the husband went fishing elsewhere and was out of cell phone range supposedly while she was driving home. I'm not sure if this has been proven or not.. the husband is a cop in Long Island somewhere i think..

Seems the husband is a public safety officer:
"Mr. Schuler eventually became a public safety officer for the Nassau County Police Department, earning $43,000 a year. Such officers are not armed but patrol county facilities."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/nyregion/06crash.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Dan Schuler announced he will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. Thursday.


LoHud will attempt to broadcast that press conference live. Bookmark this link to watch at 1, lohud.com/lohudlive1, or return to the home page of LoHud at that time for a hyperlink.
http://lohud.com/article/20090805/NEWS/90805021/-1/SPORTS

 

[Lexington]

I still think she was angry for some reason. I think the husband and/or the brother know why.

I think she was angry also. IMO something really pi##ed her off big time and she took an "I'll show him/them" attitude and proceeded to drink herself blind. The brother might be the one to come clean with what he knows, as I think the husband is the one that pushed her buttons. I would like to see the tape from the McDonalds to see her demeanor, to see if she poured alcohol into her coffee/soda cup, or slipped off to the ladies room for an extended period of time. I also would like to see if the children seemed disturbed by anything that was going on.

 

[RR0004]

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.

Then perhaps he's offering himself for free. Seems to me that money may soon be an issue for this family. Personally, I'd like the father there for his son right now. They need each other. You're right...they don't need media attention, but unfortuantely I don't think this story will go away anytime soon.

 

[Lexington]

Dan Schuler announced he will hold a press conference at 1 p.m. Thursday.


LoHud will attempt to broadcast that press conference live. Bookmark this link to watch at 1, lohud.com/lohudlive1, or return to the home page of LoHud at that time for a hyperlink.
http://lohud.com/article/20090805/NEWS/90805021/-1/SPORTS

This should be interesting. He will probably be reading from a statement prepared by his attorney. I am sure we will not hear anything that will enlighten us as to why this terrible tragedy occurred.

 

[robinparten]

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

That happened near where I live, in a suburb of Atlanta. The man's head was found the next morning near a road sign, I think the sign decapitated him. Seems like I remember hearing the driver must have been drunk too? What a tragedy.

 

[robinparten]

I simply cannot wrap my head around what this woman was thinking. If she was a closet user/drinker, what made her pick that time and place to let it all hang out? It was reported that the 8 year old got on the phone with her dad and told him she saw a road sign, presumably trying to help him find out where they were. Who knows how long she spoke to her dad, but I can certainly imagine her telling her dad that her aunt was drinking and smoking in the car.

 

[bogeygal]

Taconic crash driver Diane Schuler's husband wants exhumation prove illness played role in wreck

He wants an independent autopsy

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local..._disbelief_of_drug_find_vics_families_se.html

ETA: Husband to hold news conference later today

 

[southcitymom]

Taconic crash driver Diane Schuler's husband wants exhumation prove illness played role in wreck

He wants an independent autopsy

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local..._disbelief_of_drug_find_vics_families_se.html

This raises a host of new questions. I support 100% the family's desire to have an independent autopsy because it does sound like they were blindsided by the substances found in her body.

I understand that some here don't understand how someone could hide that level of substance abuse, but I certainly do.

 

[Native New Yorker]

I cannot speak for everyone, but from my experience with alcoholics, ( married into a family with three), she could not have been a new drinker, or she would have just passed out, or thrown up! If, perhaps she had been a stay at home mother, she could have hidden her problem, but as a career woman, traveling, etc., I think someone had to know that she had a problem. I have never known an alcoholic or problem drinker, where something in their life did not point to a problem...whether job issues or personal issues...unless of course, no one is looking, or everyone is in denial....

 

[Native New Yorker]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08062009/news/regionalnews/wed_woes_drove_crash_ma_to_drink_183240.htm

"The Long Island mother who drove bombed out of her mind with a minivan full of kids -- triggering a head-on collision that killed 8 -- routinely bellied up to the bar and griped about her failing marriage and stressful job, a drinking buddy told The Post.'

here we go.....

 

[southcitymom]

I cannot speak for everyone, but from my experience with alcoholics, ( married into a family with three), she could not have been a new drinker, or she would have just passed out, or thrown up! If, perhaps she had been a stay at home mother, she could have hidden her problem, but as a career woman, traveling, etc., I think someone had to know that she had a problem. I have never known an alcoholic or problem drinker, where something in their life did not point to a problem...whether job issues or personal issues...unless of course, no one is looking, or everyone is in denial....

I tend to agree with you that, without tolerance, this level of alcohol consumption would lead to passing out. That said - medical and psychological conditions can have a bearing on substance ingestion.

I also agree that once a substance abuse issue is identified, there are often a host of things pointing to that and people close to the abuser look back in hindsight and perceive things differently. That said, I believe it is wrong and misguided on every single level to try to blame those surrounding an addict for the addict's behavior. Please know that, in many cases, the CODAs (codependents) are at least as sick as, and maybe even sicker than, the addict.

So, if any of the adults on this camping trip allowed an obviously impaired person to get into a car and drive a bunch of people (kids OR adults) somewhere, then, yes - they share some culpability.

But to try to say her family members should have anticipated this outcome if she was not loaded when she got into the car and if she has no history of DUI/DWI is absolutely ridiculous. If this is the standard we are going to hold people to, then my husband would be a criminal parent to ever let me drive our kids and I would be a criminal parent to ever let him drive our kids.

I am very interested in finding out more, but at this stage in the game I believe that they are genuinely flabbergasted by the alcohol/weed in her system and are trying to find answers to the millions of questions swirling around them.

 

[southcitymom]

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08062009/news/regionalnews/wed_woes_drove_crash_ma_to_drink_183240.htm

"The Long Island mother who drove bombed out of her mind with a minivan full of kids -- triggering a head-on collision that killed 8 -- routinely bellied up to the bar and griped about her failing marriage and stressful job, a drinking buddy told The Post.'

here we go.....

The more that comes out about this story, the more I feel an intense kinship with this woman - though I think I was way sneakier than she was.

 

[Native New Yorker]

I cannot relate....all the drinkers I know stay home when drinking....including my former father in law, who was in the military, and a current close friend....

when my ex was drinking, before kids, and before the days that DUIs got cracked down on, I got a call one night from a cop, asking me to pick my ex up at the gas station, because he could not drive safely, was too drunk! In vain, I begged the cop to take my ex in, thinking that might help get his attention about his drinking....
three years after that, his family and I staged an intervention, and he got sober....

I just have no personal experience with problem drinkers endangering kids, sorry....

 

[SleuthyMama]

Well, I've been trying all morning to get here but things beyond my control have kept me away till now and I see that bogeygal and Native New Yorker have already posted two of the links already (thanks, you two!)

So here are a few more:

Local Troop in on Search for Answers

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20090806/NEWS05/908060331


Angry Neighbors, Stunned Relatives React to Tragedy

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20090806/NEWS/908060337


Kin of 2 Victims Planning Anti DWI Crusade, Lawsuit

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20090806/NEWS/908060332

Report: Schuler’s Husband Disputes Crash Findings, Will Seek Exhumation

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/article/20090806/NEWS01/90806001

The choice of Dominic Barbera as the lawyer concerns me too. If he offered his services pro bono I could see why he was chosen but if not....I don't know. He's a bit of a media from what I know of his past...