8 Die in Crash on Taconic State Parkway

[arielilane]

The relatives of some victims of the fatal crash on the Taconic State Parkway last month said they were satisfied with the investigation by state police and Westchester authorities into the tragedy although the probe yielded no criminal charges against anyone.
But they said Daniel Schuler, 36, of West Babylon, whose wife, Diane, 36, drove the family's minivan the wrong way down the parkway and struck a SUV - killing seven people and herself - is not off the hook: Some relatives of the victims said they are exploring filing a civil lawsuit against him.
"I'm appalled that they won't face the fact that she was drunk and killed seven innocent lives and ruined the lives of so many people," said Michael Bastardi Jr., who lost his brother, Guy Bastardi, 49, and father, Michael Bastardi, 81, and a friend, Daniel Longo, 74, in the July 26 crash.

http://www.newsday.com/long-island/taconic-crash-victims-relatives-satisfied-with-probe-1.1378225

 

[southcitymom]

 

[CatMama3]

The relatives of some victims of the fatal crash on the Taconic State Parkway last month said they were satisfied with the investigation by state police and Westchester authorities into the tragedy although the probe yielded no criminal charges against anyone.
But they said Daniel Schuler, 36, of West Babylon, whose wife, Diane, 36, drove the family's minivan the wrong way down the parkway and struck a SUV - killing seven people and herself - is not off the hook: Some relatives of the victims said they are exploring filing a civil lawsuit against him.
"I'm appalled that they won't face the fact that she was drunk and killed seven innocent lives and ruined the lives of so many people," said Michael Bastardi Jr., who lost his brother, Guy Bastardi, 49, and father, Michael Bastardi, 81, and a friend, Daniel Longo, 74, in the July 26 crash.
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/taconic-crash-victims-relatives-satisfied-with-probe-1.1378225

At the risk of seriously pissing off many posters, trying to blame a living person for this tragedy because the dead person can no longer be held accountable is simply wrong.

The Bastardi family wants a pound of flesh from Diane Shuler but they are not able to get because she's dead. So they direct their understandable grief and rage at her closest living relative.

They, along with many people not affected by the tragedy, but nonetheless angry and bewildered, want to insist that he HAD to know about her drinking. It's very possible he didn't.

It's a pretty simple dynamic: she was a hidden addict, she used excessively on this occasion, she lost control and she shattered countless lives. INCLUDING those of her own children.

Does anyone honestly believe that this woman was willing to consciously risk the lives of the children she brought into the world? If anyone can say yes, then he needs to explain how she could be that unfeeling.

Ban me, boo me, put me on ignore. You want to find a deeping meaning in this case because the plain, ugly truth that she was an addict who went overboard and created untold sorrow is simply too much to absorb.

 

[capoly]

Capoly - I think the police are speculating on SawMill River Parkway instead of Sprain Brook as the route because Spain Brook northbound is NOT accessible from 287/87 - at least that's how it looks from the satellite image on google earth. It only looks like you can go south in the opposite direction.

Hi Steve2010,

The link below to a past post will explain re Sprain Brook. Though if you do go to the map site linked to in post you may find it a mite jumbled. Haven't quite figured out how to edit and save.

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - 8 Die in Crash on Taconic State Parkway

 

[southcitymom]

At the risk of seriously pissing off many posters, trying to blame a living person for this tragedy because the dead person can no longer be held accountable is simply wrong.

The Bastardi family wants a pound of flesh from Diane Shuler but they are not able to get because she's dead. So they direct their understandable grief and rage at her closest living relative.

They, along with many people not affected by the tragedy, but nonetheless angry and bewildered, want to insist that he HAD to know about her drinking. It's very possible he didn't.

It's a pretty simple dynamic: she was a hidden addict, she used excessively on this occasion, she lost control and she shattered countless lives. INCLUDING those of her own children.

Does anyone honestly believe that this woman was willing to consciously risk the lives of the children she brought into the world? If anyone can say yes, then he needs to explain how she could be that unfeeling.

Ban me, boo me, put me on ignore. You want to find a deeping meaning in this case because the plain, ugly truth that she was an addict who went overboard and created untold sorrow is simply too much to absorb.

I agree that this is where much of the anger of the Bastardi family has landed, and I can understand why it's landed there. I do not know what could bring them peace, but I hope they will have it one day.

 

[PeteyGirl]

At the risk of seriously pissing off many posters, trying to blame a living person for this tragedy because the dead person can no longer be held accountable is simply wrong.

The Bastardi family wants a pound of flesh from Diane Shuler but they are not able to get because she's dead. So they direct their understandable grief and rage at her closest living relative.

They, along with many people not affected by the tragedy, but nonetheless angry and bewildered, want to insist that he HAD to know about her drinking. It's very possible he didn't.

It's a pretty simple dynamic: she was a hidden addict, she used excessively on this occasion, she lost control and she shattered countless lives. INCLUDING those of her own children.

Does anyone honestly believe that this woman was willing to consciously risk the lives of the children she brought into the world? If anyone can say yes, then he needs to explain how she could be that unfeeling.

Ban me, boo me, put me on ignore. You want to find a deeping meaning in this case because the plain, ugly truth that she was an addict who went overboard and created untold sorrow is simply too much to absorb.

I for one see this much as you do.

Do I honestly believe she was willing to consciously risk the lives of her children? Who knows. She just DID, over and over again, probably

Not only did she kill four children, three adults and permanently damage the child who did not die, the civil suit the Bastardi family is entitled to file will destroy what's left of her family's financial future.

At this point, what she DID do makes what she MEANT to do irrelevant.

 

[VCDaedalus]

Thanks for all the posts I've been reading with great interest and learning from.

 

[RR0004]

I'm sorry if I'm asking the ridiculous...I've tried hard to keep up with this thread (truly), but did they mention why DS was up in that part of Westchester in the first place?


ETA: TIA

 

[grace60]

I'm sorry if I'm asking the ridiculous...I've tried hard to keep up with this thread (truly), but did they mention why DS was up in that part of Westchester in the first place?


ETA: TIA

From what I understand the family went to the campground a lot when the weather was nice. ( summer months)
http://www.hunterlakecampground.com/

 

[Melanie]

I agree about the early stages of alcoholism. I can also see how easy it would be for her to hide it. Hubby works nights, she gets home around 6 pm send the sitter on her way and she starts to have a few drinks. Kids in bed by 8 or 9 she could drink a hour or 2 more. I doubt hubby jumped into bed as soon as he got home and may have often fallen asleep on the couch after he got home. She could have done this 2 or 3 times a week.

I think she must have been farther advanced. If I have wine, I wait until my son goes to bed -- ocassionally having a glass with dinner. A part of me doesn't want my son to see me drink, and I will admit I use it to relax and fall asleep at night. I'm one of those who would rather than have a drink at home, vs. going out and having a drink.

In this case, it looks like she started drinking quite early, and was hammered by noon -- with vodka in the car with kids. There's also the pot and where and when she smoke that.

IMHO I don't think you get up one morning and start pounding, and IMHO she had done this before.

Thanks,

Mel

 

[capoly]

Thanks for all the posts I've been reading with great interest and learning from.

I add my thanks to yours, VCDaedalus.

So many of you stepped up to the plate surely knowing that at anytime you could get hit with a fastball....that takes tremendous courage and love for your fellow man.

This is not a Diane Schuler issue....it is an every person's issue whether they drink or not. Blame won't stop deaths but it does stop communication when blame becomes the bottom line, the last word.

Sad thing about situations like this is that it will be impossible to prove that your stories helped someone somewhere down the line. There's no 'Mysterious Stranger' 2-path view with which to validate. But I know you've made me stronger and given me courage to reach out further than before.....again many thanks. :blowkiss:


ETA
The Schuler crash: Dispelling the shock and disbelief

http://www.lohud.com/article/20090819/OPINION/908190366/1015/OPINION01

 

[arielilane]

At the risk of seriously pissing off many posters, trying to blame a living person for this tragedy because the dead person can no longer be held accountable is simply wrong.

The Bastardi family wants a pound of flesh from Diane Shuler but they are not able to get because she's dead. So they direct their understandable grief and rage at her closest living relative.

They, along with many people not affected by the tragedy, but nonetheless angry and bewildered, want to insist that he HAD to know about her drinking. It's very possible he didn't.

It's a pretty simple dynamic: she was a hidden addict, she used excessively on this occasion, she lost control and she shattered countless lives. INCLUDING those of her own children.

Does anyone honestly believe that this woman was willing to consciously risk the lives of the children she brought into the world? If anyone can say yes, then he needs to explain how she could be that unfeeling.

Ban me, boo me, put me on ignore. You want to find a deeping meaning in this case because the plain, ugly truth that she was an addict who went overboard and created untold sorrow is simply too much to absorb.

“How is it at risk of seriously pissing off many posters?” I posted the article because it pertains to this case. I for one do not believe Mr. S should be charged. However, it is the victims’ families right to sue if they so chose to.
Would this case be looked at differently if the drunk driver who killed all these people (children included) was a man rather than a woman?:waitasec:

 

[MaryLiz]

This may sound dumb, but in trying to figure out a reason for DS' violent reaction to drinking and smoking weed that day, the thought crossed my mind that maybe it was the first time she did BOTH at the same time. We know she drank in the past (friends and family are saying socially, but I believe she was a closet alcoholic), and we know she smoked pot, per her husband. It seems she drank an awful lot of vodka in a short period of time that day. So maybe the combination of the 2, for the first time doing both of them together, really triggered that reaction where she was confused and her vision was impaired.

JMO.

 

[tapu]

I'm not saying the pot couldn't have contributed, but I'm sure as sure that 10 shots of vodka would be more, much more, than plenty to put anyone on the wrong road, if somehow they managed to stay conscious.

It is, like, so not strange that someone who drank that much vodka at once would be completely out of control perceptively if not lying face-down in a heap.

 

[Intermezzo]

remembering the lives that were lost.

requiscat in pacem

rest in peace

 

[SleuthyMama]

It was from her brother Warren.

Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community - View Single Post - 8 Die in Crash on Taconic State Parkway


ETA Am feeling like the Hances suspected something was up though not saying they thought alcohol.....perhaps marijuana. Re Amber Alert...if Warren TOLD his sister to stay put with his children, that he was coming for them, and she took off with them then she possibly could be viewed as abducting them.

With all due respect capoly, I believe this is a different phone call they are talking about. Or they have since changed their tune on who this phone call was from.

Several articles mentioned in incoming phone call around the 12 PM timeframe (12:08 if I am remembering correctly) and originally did not/would not indicate the identity of the caller or what the conversation was about. In subsequent stories I did finally see it was mentioned the caller was a member of the Schuler family (Warren is a Hance family member, not a Schuler) and it was NOT her husband. So they are still not completely identifying the caller and most definitely not disclosing the nature of the phone call.

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009908080343

 

[VCDaedalus]

Who has the right to "not disclose"? They're not charging Schuler with anything, so either the phone call was irrelevant, or . . . or what? I need some law info here on why one thing is disclosed and not another.

 

[southcitymom]

I add my thanks to yours, VCDaedalus.

So many of you stepped up to the plate surely knowing that at anytime you could get hit with a fastball....that takes tremendous courage and love for your fellow man.

This is not a Diane Schuler issue....it is an every person's issue whether they drink or not. Blame won't stop deaths but it does stop communication when blame becomes the bottom line, the last word.

Sad thing about situations like this is that it will be impossible to prove that your stories helped someone somewhere down the line. There's no 'Mysterious Stranger' 2-path view with which to validate. But I know you've made me stronger and given me courage to reach out further than before.....again many thanks. :blowkiss:


ETA
The Schuler crash: Dispelling the shock and disbelief

http://www.lohud.com/article/20090819/OPINION/908190366/1015/OPINION01

From this excellent link (the author is a recovering addict) (BBM):

"The real sadness for me in this story is that it's not at all shocking but completely routine. It's my story and it's the story of the family I met last night, and last Saturday and a year ago, and the family I will meet next week. It's the quintessential addiction tome. The collateral damage one collects as addiction flourishes seems to be the luck of the draw, so a tragedy like the Schuler crash appears unusual to us. But that perspective, until changed, will serve to enflame the pandemic and periodically provide news stories like the Taconic crash."

 

[VCDaedalus]

Or is it just Schuler pleading the Fifth, because the conversation might have been along the lines of, "What the HELL is in this pot?" "I told you it was stronger!"

 

[southcitymom]

This may sound dumb, but in trying to figure out a reason for DS' violent reaction to drinking and smoking weed that day, the thought crossed my mind that maybe it was the first time she did BOTH at the same time. We know she drank in the past (friends and family are saying socially, but I believe she was a closet alcoholic), and we know she smoked pot, per her husband. It seems she drank an awful lot of vodka in a short period of time that day. So maybe the combination of the 2, for the first time doing both of them together, really triggered that reaction where she was confused and her vision was impaired.

JMO.

That's not a bad thought. However, as tapu points out, the main thing that makes me question this theory is the amount of alcohol found in DS. Unless you have a big tolerance, you just can't drink that amount of alcohol and continue to function. As my aunt used to say, you've got to be in condition to seriously drink. DS was conditioned.