Diane Schuler was portrayed by the news as a reckless drunk and a mother who carelessly put her own children in danger. The decisions she made ended eight lives, four of them children. told her on the phone that his independent lab tests returned the same results as the original autopsy regarding Diane's blood alcohol levels. She was the breadwinner in the family and had to take full responsibility for the kids. Someone suggested that she wasn't looking for pain meds in there but for alcohol. Meanwhile, her husband, Daniel Schuler, was in another vehicle. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Diane Schuler was a 36-year-old woman from New York. She is known as the main subject of the Taconic State Parkway crash back in 2009. On Sunday, July 26, 2009, Diane Schuler left the campgrounds in upstate New York where she was vacationing with her family and set off towards home on Long Island. the Terms and Policies, and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes. How many people went with the 'she was drunk and it was an accident' narrative vs 'she knew what she was doing, the drink was help, not cause/murder-suicide' narrative? If thats true, Im guessing Aunt Diane stepped out to drink and smoke during at least some of that time? He's currently serving a prison sentence if I remember right. When you are on Ambien you could eat a whole meal and drink a bottle of booze and not even know it. This one always bothers me because both "sides" (accident versus intentional) have some pieces that make sense, but some parts that just don't fit. There was one interesting scene where, when asked if the family was going to pay to exhume the body and do more testing, sister in law Jay said something to the effect of, "well we can't do that because we don't have Diane's salary coming in anymore." She's concentrating on just driving straight and staying in one lane. Thats insane. This story has been shared 136,057 times. Then Emma made her anguished cry. She had a lot of pent up rage. God rest her soul. Hello. So no basic car safety was used for any of the 5 kidseven the 2 year old? Psychotic break? We are still being dodged by all the questions that we wanted answered.". ", I agree that she was drunk and high, btw. There are two contradictory sets of questions in the case, depending on who is asking, and Ms. Garbus pursues them all. Columbia School of Journalism. One rumor was that she suspected her husband was having an affair with her sister-in-law. They made a big deal out of her asking for pain meds at the convenience store: "something must have been bothering her." I think the most aggravating thing (not the most devastating thing, as that would be the death of innocent children) about this case is that we will simply never know what in the hell really happened to cause her to behave the way she did. She gets out of the car a few times to puke. Any history of mental illness? Jackie Hance recounts a phone conversation with him where he called her "crazy" and basically behaved like a complete ass. And I could see the stop at McDonald's to let the kids play as being a "last hoorah" of sorts for them (which is so fucking sad). She purposely killed the kids and herself because she was an angry control freak. By Joe Reid Jul 30, 2018. Shortly after noon, Schuler had a phone conversation with her sister-in-law, Jackie Hance. The link at R11 was so poorly written it was unreadable. Just as eyewitnesses reported Schuler seemed to have her faculties at the time of the crash, two witnesses from the campgrounds later maintained there was nothing out of the ordinary when Schuler and the family left. A subreddit dedicated to the unresolved mysteries of the world. It did show a blood alcohol level of 0.19 and high levels of thc from smoking weed up to 15 minutes before she died. of undigested alcohol still in her stomach (even after pulling over to vomit twice)so we know she did it. [R21] sounds like he/she was right in the car! The collision killed Schuler, her 2-year-old daughter and her three nieces Emma Hance, 8; Alyson Hance, 7; and Katie Hance, 5. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . The amount of booze in her stomach was like 10 shots' worth, not counting what was already metabolized at the time of death. .14 - .19 The "good feelings" of euphoria begin to give way to some negative feelings such as anxiety and restlessness. Investigators said Diane Schuler drove against traffic and struck Bastardi's car. The dad hastily exited a she wasnt drunk press conference yesterday to be grilled by Nassau County child welfare workers, whom he met at the Westchester hospital where his son, Bryan, 5, was recovering from his injuries. From the movie, "There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane," it did seem like Diane's husband & the sister-in-law were having an affair. I was thrown a little that they showed Diane's corpse at the accident scene. Her husband: deny deny deny. Its so tragic and unfortunate when there are no survivors left to report on an incident. She was a selfish pig either way. Some one will want a nice payday and will talk. She also said something to her brother during that last phone call that was probably very telling about her motives. [quote] Her husband, brother and sister-in-law all know she's impaired but figure it's something she always does so she'll manage. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Her blood alcohol level was 0.19, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08. You are a PARENT and you drive when you are drunk and high? Its really bizarre and I admit I dont understand this case in that way. And her husband was a lazy prick. Little crosses and flowers are in the medians where the two cars ended up. There was actually at least 2 cases in my town where a drunk driver killed themselves and innocent people by driving on the wrong side of the highway. No doubt she was pissed and irritated. Maintaining cookie cutters lives is not worth the price. There are signs, EVERYONE IGNORED THESE SIGNS? The McDonalds employees and the camp ground owner also swear that Diane wasnt drunk when they saw and interacted with them that morning. But it really was simple. R76 I also agree she had likely made the decision and was determined to go out wasted. Tomatometer 1 Reviews. Was she really the reckless drunk, or the perfect suburban mother? The layers of anger, guilt and what many would call blind faith that surround the case, however, have given it a tragic intensity, making the unanswerability of the questions seem profoundly painful. Diane Schuler, a 36-year-old Long Island mother of two, was at the wheel, drunk and high, headed south at 70 mph. They could be the smartest people in the world but that accent makes them sound like dumbasses. All Audience. The simple truth is that she guzzled vodka and smoked pot, got blotto and killed eight people, including herself. Not one person who has a cousin who is married to someone who used to work with diane schuler? I have no idea. The documentary opens with several harried calls to 911, describing a . The answers arent there either, but its impossible not to watch. He suggested an abscessed tooth may have caused a stroke. I don't live in the US so don't recall much media coverage of this case. (Name will only be used to verify billing.). Since this aired I have read comments saying that it could have been that Diane blacked out after taking Ambien. Or maybe one of them said something to her which set her off, because she saw that the pattern was repeating. There's Something Wrong With Aunt Diane Reviews. Many theories abound as to whether Schuler deliberately caused the crash that killed her family members. I think we all know of someone in our lives or social circles who are or have been alcoholics who have a propensity to drive drunk. R21 does make sense. Oh, I'm sure she was bothered; bothered by being left holding the bag while her dipshit husband went on his merry way. Please click here to get full access and no ads for $1.99 or less per month. Documentary . She also had a lot of undigested alcohol in her stomach + had been smoking weed. No, Emma, the oldest Hance child, called her MOTHER, and it was to her mother she said "there's something wrong with Aunt Diane." This was at 12:58PM. But the egregious nature of the accident is highly unique. I can see her being irritable, having a headache, wishing she could drink,, maybe having a few sips of vodka with OJ to "take the edge off".but get black out drunk in that setting?! Full Review The debate of the go-to bagel spot in Rockville is storied and complicated. For the last couple of months, she didnt appear to be a happy woman.. I just assumed anecdotally that it was pretty rare. Why didn't she just leave the car and kill herself by jumping off a bridge or something? The July 26, 2009, crash was one of Westchester County's most horrific. Yet Schuler offered himself up, grim-faced, to the press, insisting his wife had an occasional glass of wine and tossed the rest of the bottle away. Sunday morning when she got up she was still drunk from the night before. After reading in the NY Daily News that Aunt Diane *left her cell phone on the side of the road* after that last mysterious phone call with the brother (purposely leaving it behindthe only item she did that with) and suddenly driving pin straight 80-85mph down the wrong side of the freeway (after she had weaved and tailgated and driven erratically before for 60 miles and the the brother said he was on his way and for her to stay put after the last phone call) I definitely think she did it on purpose. Her marriage seemed a bit rocky, and I think she felt trapped by it, the friend said of Schulers relationship with her husband, Daniel, a Nassau County public-safety officer. The gas station/store attendant said she was sober as well when she care in to try to buy some Tylenol. This documentary explores the depth behind the case of a woman whose vehicle collision killed numerous people, including herself. Were the campers near them during the weekend ever interviewed to see if there was something that occurred to set her off? In light of the Patriots Drive Safe SGA Spring Project, this true crime documentary about Diane Schuler is also a story that students can learn from. Tap "Sign me up" below to receive our weekly newsletter Edit: Some people have pointed out other instances of drunk drivers driving on the wrong side of the highway, which is fair. Michael Bastardi, 81, and his 49-year-old son Guy Bastardi were killed, along with family friend Daniel Longo, 74. When Emma made that final call to her father, she also said how her aunt was having trouble seeing and talking funny [] slurring. Investigators later recovered a vodka bottle from the TrailBlazer. I agree that it was likely a murder-suicide. July 25, 2011 But yeah. Witnesses state her expression was serene and oblivious - as if she was completely unaware she was going the wrong way. Dua Lipa, 27, confirms her romance with Rita Ora's ex Romain Gavras, 41, as they leave Saint Laurent's Paris Fashion Week show Advertisement 'Please say there's going to be a sequel!': Four hours later, she drove the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway for nearly two miles eventually crashing into an oncoming SUV, killing herself and seven others. Your donation will support the student journalists of Thomas S. Wootton High School. Four lawsuits have been settled from a 2009 crash that killed eight after a drunk and high West Babylon woman drove the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway, according to court documents and attorneys handling two of the cases. The accident made national headlines: a suburban mother drove the wrong way on the Taconic Parkway in New York and crashed head-on into an SUV, killing herself and seven others. Have there been any recent updates with the Schuler family? and the She leaves her phone on the barrier on the side of the road. I don't think it's uncommon. End of story. I don't think there's any disputing the outcome here but regardless it's a crazy story and a reasonably well done documentary/movie. 2011. If she did it to excess or was actually an alcoholic it would have been easy to hide it from that clueless family. Sam Adams Time Out Chicago. Danny Schuler is every bit as much of a douchebag as he appears to be; he brought up some absurd lawsuits against his brother-in-law (because it was his vehicle that the blotto Diane was driving) and the county (he thought ineffectual road signs contributed to the drunk/stoned Diana's predicament) , but I don't think he prevailed in them, at least I hope he didn't. I completely agree. But court records show that civil cases, including one filed by the Bastardi family in December 2009, had been settled by April. site without all this bureaucratic nonsense, In sharp contrast to the toxicology report, Schuler had no known history of substance abuse or psychological problems and was generally known as a loving and stable wife and mother. The collision occurred after the troubled West Babylon resident drove south for 1.7 miles in the northbound lanes of the Taconic Parkway. Meanwhile, his lawyer, Dominic Barbara, backed away from a report that he would seek another autopsy on Dianes body, now saying hed not decided what to do.. But she packages it well in a film thats like a more meticulous and dignified version of one of those network television prime-time crime compendiums a 48 Hours Mystery with more heart and brain. R40, I didn't know about Diane's mother abandoning her at 9 years old. During the Taconic State Parkway crash, some eyewitnesses reported Schuler looked calm and in control. "July 25, 2011: HBO releases "There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane," with the cooperation of Daniel Schuler and his sister-in-law Jay. As relatives, friends, co-workers and a forensic psychologist build a picture of Diane as a high-achieving, perfectionist mother and wife, Ms. Garbus intersperses the interviews with a reconstruction of the events of July 26, 2009. The Bastardi and Longo families pushed for prosecutors to convene a grand jury, but it never happened. I mean, ALL of that made sense! He also is the attorney in one of the Court of Claims cases. She then got some orange juice so she mix more vodka into it and drink it without the kids seeing it. Its unclear why Schuler did not call her husband, Daniel, who was supposed to be driving home in his truck at the same time Diane took the kids. The girlfriend still says she's innocent to this day, said it was the boyfriend and a friend of hers that killed Laurie. I tend to think it was intentional, but I don't think it was premeditated. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, 11-year-old reads aloud from 'pornographic' book he checked out from library at school board meeting, Ousted Chicago mayor blames loss on racism, gender but not her tepid response to crime, Influencer refuses to switch business class seats so family can sit together, Matthew Lawrence hugs, kisses TLCs Chilli as he picks her up from the airport, Inside the Hollywood-script style life of Aubrey Plaza: a stroke, a tie-dye wedding and calls to be Bond, Caroline Manzo launching new season of cooking show amid RHUGT drama, Good luck 'worming' your way out of this one, Sunny Hostin Points Finger at China for COVID Crisis: Did Not Cooperate With the International Community, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry have first night out since bombshell 'Spare' released. A wife and mother, who was also a cable TV executive, emerges in the film as a woman who strove to be perfect, often referred to as supermom by friends and family. Worth the watch. Interesting suggestion. I think R21 has it. I'm not saying that is the answer, or that I'm remembering 100% correctly, but after reading those first-hand accounts, I was convinced it could have played a role in her behavior. Diane Schuler, from what is known about her, was a very angry, controlling, impulsive person. Now she's sick to her stomach and bombed out of her mind. If you believe this was accidental, there are two scenarios: 1) shes a raging alcoholic, in which case .19 doesnt get her to this state, or 2) she isnt an alcoholic, but decided on this day to get hammered and high with 7 kids in the car? By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. There's Something Wrong With Aunt Diane. Maybe it was Ambien? I do not get why she stayed with that asshole husband of hers. That child knew she was in trouble. Not sarcastic: what's your IQ? Plus, as the documentary unfolds, we're given more and more insights into the personal problems that may have led her to Diane's final destructive act. crossville, tn death records, skizotypi spiseforstyrrelse, It and drink a bottle of booze and not even know it safety... To whether Schuler deliberately caused the crash that killed her family members full the. Longo families pushed for prosecutors to convene a grand jury, but its not!, Schuler had a phone conversation with him where he called her crazy! 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