8 Die in Crash on Taconic State Parkway

[bogeygal]

Taconic Parkway accident leaves empty chairs and broken hearts

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local...en_hearts_for_3_killed_in_gruesome_crash.html

 

[PrayersForMaura]

I am confused ... there were two cell phones, right? The mother's and the neice's?
Or are we just talking about the mother's cell phone with the calls logged?

 

[arielilane]

Such a heartbreaking story: prayers to family and friends of all who have passed on. How troubling that the person who caused this tragedy is one of their own family members. It is unbelievable to imagine so many young lives gone. Also, to the Bastardi family who also lost family members and a friend. I am sad for both families.

A special prayer for the five year old who survived.

I just have to wonder if DS was angry and made a quick decision to “take control” and this is what happened. Many times people under the influence will make an irrational decision, out of being pissed off.

The truth is pretty simple…

 

[arielilane]

Taconic Parkway accident leaves empty chairs and broken hearts

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local...en_hearts_for_3_killed_in_gruesome_crash.html

I copied and pasted a few paragraphs from this article. I hope you don't mind, bogeygal. I think it is important for people to know the victims.

The seat at the head of the table will stay empty this afternoon.
For as long as his daughters can remember, Michael Bastardi occupied the prime position at his Italian-American family's weekly Sunday meal: meatballs, baked ziti, a nice gravy.
Sometimes the patriarch brought dessert - homemade cream puffs or cheesecake, made fresh in his kitchen. The close-knit clan would argue politics, and "Gramps" might dote on his 10 grandkids.
But not today. And not any Sunday ever again.


http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local...3_killed_in_gruesome_crash.html#ixzz0NhDwI5N3

 

[zippitydoda]

The family of drunken driver Diane Schuler, 36, has not reached out to Bastardi's survivors - and infuriated them by suggesting she wasn't responsible for the deaths.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local...d_in_gruesome_crash.html?page=1#ixzz0NhD6qdN7

Yes, thank you for posting the article.

The above taken from the same article speaks volumes to me.

 

[southcitymom]

I am confused ... there were two cell phones, right? The mother's and the neice's?
Or are we just talking about the mother's cell phone with the calls logged?

PFM - I think it was just the Mom's cell phone, but the niece used it too. Perhaps I am wrong, but my understanding is that there was just one phone.

 

[VCDaedalus]

People at McDonald's aren't there to closely observe and sniff the breath of customers. They're there--and on a Sunday morning I can imagine the post-church crowd--to get orders processed as quickly as possible. Their noses are at least 3 feet from customers and often bent over a cash register, not poked out to sniff someone's breath.

Lot of smells in a McDonald's, and easy for a whiff of vodka to dissipate and pass unnoticed by anyone. And what's an employee gonna do? Does that employee know with pinpoint accuracy who's breathing the booze fumes? Couldn't be the mom--must be that biker dude behind her in line.

That McDonald's employees noticed nothing doesn't prove anything.

 

[bogeygal]

From New York Post, Don't know if this has been posted

Taconic Crash Mom's Husband Has Own DWI

http://www.nypost.com/seven/0809200...nic_crash_moms_husband_has_own_dwi_183718.htm

ETA: Not always sure NYP page 7 is accurate.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Yes, thank you for posting the article.

The above taken from the same article speaks volumes to me.

That kind of contradicts itself in the story, as the mother and father of the three girls who died sent a sympathy card to the Bastardi's ... they are her family.
Unless the article is indirectly saying that Diane's "husband" has not reached out to them. Perhaps he will in time... he is still grieving, too.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

 

[southcitymom]

From New York Post, Don't know if this has been posted

Taconic Crash Mom's Husband Has Own DWI

http://www.nypost.com/seven/0809200...nic_crash_moms_husband_has_own_dwi_183718.htm

ETA: Not always sure NYP page 7 is accurate.

I don't know that the 1995 DUI of a 24-year-old can tell us much more than he was a fairly typical 24-year-old. It don't know that it sheds too much light on what happened with his wife.

 

[bogeygal]

I don't know that the 1995 DUI of a 24-year-old can tell us much more than he was a fairly typical 24-year-old. It don't know that it sheds too much light on what happened with his wife.

I agree SCM, it was over 14 years ago. Just posted the news link in case anyone was interested. I might have looked at the news presser differently the other day from hubby, if I had read this article first. I wonder if in the back of his mind he thought of his own actions back in 1995?

 

[zippitydoda]

Seems to me that Mr. Schuler has the ability to spend a good amount of time conducting presser after presser defending his wife, but has not taken a moment to reach out to this family that his wife so severely affected. He would not have to speak about anything other than his thoughts are with them. That would be a compassionate thing to do.

I suspect that the Hance family will eventually distance themselves from Mr. Schuler.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

Seems to me that Mr. Schuler has the ability to spend a good amount of time conducting presser after presser defending his wife, but has not taken a moment to reach out to this family that his wife so severely affected. He would not have to speak about anything other than his thoughts are with them. That would be a compassionate thing to do.

I suspect that the Hance family will eventually distance themselves from Mr. Schuler.

I would think it's also compassionate to let the man grieve a bit.
Maybe he doesn't know what to do. I don't know what i would do in this situation so I am willing to give the man the benefit of the doubt.

 

[PrayersForMaura]

This picture makes me so sad. What a beautiful family.
I pray for all the victims' families and send an extra prayer of strength to the Hance parents. I know it hurts losing a child, I can't imagine losing three. It's tough to lose anyone to death, especially one that is senseless, but I can't imagine what these parents are doing through. I would just want to crawl up in a ball and die.

 

[zippitydoda]

I appriecate your point of view PrayersForMaura.

I most certainly believe he has every right to grieve, nor would I want anyone to prey on his misery.

But, he has thrust himself into the media, and taken every opportunity to defend his wife. His choice, and he can do as he sees fit. IMO, he should not have not done this, especially to the extend that he and his attorney have, and should have let this sad situation fade from the media's interest out of respect for the victims. But that's just MOO, and I am on the outside looking in.

 

[SuziQ]

But the one that broke the law is dead. Who is left to face the consequences?

Maybe no one. We don't know the entire story yet. LE is trying to get the answers. Hopefully they'll succeed.

 

[southcitymom]

I agree SCM, it was over 14 years ago. Just posted the news link in case anyone was interested. I might have looked at the news presser differently the other day from hubby, if I had read this article first. I wonder if in the back of his mind he thought of his own actions back in 1995?

Oh gosh - I am SURE he thought about it and as this story gained legs, I;m sure he knew it wouldn't remain private!

 

[VCDaedalus]

Also, how easy would it be for a mom to say, "Honey, you know how to order what you like, and get Happy Meals for the little ones--Mommy's just going to go to the bathroom and then find us a table. Here's some money."

 

[southcitymom]

One passing thought I had about Mr. Shuler's attorney choice is that it may not have been his choice at all, but rather an assignment from his insurance company.

I worked as a litigation paralegal for years and helped handle quite a few auto accidents. An accident of this magnitude that involves wrong-way driving, DWI and death almost ALWAYS winds up with suits filed in civil court against, for all intense purposes, the insurance companies. Those companies are the ones who chose the attorneys and the client (Shuler) has to cooperate with the attorney. At this point, I am sure Shuler's insurance company is all about damage control for the inevitable lawsuits.

We don't know how attorney-directed the husband's actions are and I'm not entirely comfortable saying he has thrust himself into the media to defend his wife of his own choice (though I would understand his desire to do so if that was his choice - he loved this woman and is probably more shocked by the BAC than any of us are). I remain convinced that the man is doing the best he knows how to do while having to deal with much more than we "see" on the surface.