Forensic investigator Michael Archer told WCBS, "We'll never know why she did this. On a Sunday morning, Diane Schuler drove the wrong way up an off-ramp (pictured above) in a minivan filled with children onto the Taconic and proceeded two miles before crashing into an SUV head on and ending eight lives, including her own. Chronic fatigue syndrome can lead to anxiety, depression, and low productivity in addition to health issues. 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. According to a toxicology report released by Westchester County medical examiners on August 4, Schuler had a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.19%, with approximately six grams of alcohol in her stomach that had not yet been absorbed into her blood. Taste The Refreshing Flavors Of Belgian White Ale! Diane Schuler killed herself and 7 others that day. : I have never before witnessed or heard of an alcoholic get so messed up that they lose control or cohesion to this extent. [39][53], The Law & Order episode "Doped," which first aired in November 2009, centers on an extremely similar fictional crash. Normal people do not use vodka to numb a toothache while they are driving with 5 kids in the car. 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This post examines the 2009 New York Taconic Parkway crash that killed 8 people, including Diane Schuler, the driver of a minivan that plowed for 2 miles in the wrong direction down the parkway. I have read police reports and autopsy reports and read the book by Jackie Nance the 3 little girls mother. A 1.75-liter bottle of Absolut was found in Schuler's wrecked Ford Windstar after the fiery July 26 smash-up, which killed her, her 2-year-old daughter, her three young nieces and three Yonkers men in the SUV she hit. The collision occurred after the troubled West Babylon resident drove south for 1.7 miles in the northbound lanes of the . [41] In October 2009, DiFiore faced accusations from both Dan Schorr (a Republican challenger for her office) and a Bastardi family attorney that she had mishandled the Schuler case by neglecting to initiate a grand jury investigation into the crash. Diane Schulers death has left her family and friends in shock. If left untreated, severe alcohol abuse may result in patients consuming more than four times the legal limit, equivalent to ten drinks. [23][32], Daniel denied that his wife took illegal drugs, but told investigators that his wife smoked marijuana "occasionally"; the family told People magazine that she used the drug to relieve insomnia. After a few years of having watched it about 3 times and reading everything on it, I think Ive come up with what I believe happened. .14 - .19 The "good feelings" of euphoria begin to give way to some negative feelings such as anxiety and restlessness. According to the New York Post, Daniel Rother, Dianes husband, is suing the state and Warren Hance, Dianes brother, claiming that they were responsible for the crash that killed eight people. Diane Schuler was diagnosed with gestational diabetes after giving birth and had an abscessed tooth for nearly two months. [37] In October 2009, Ruskin, on The Oprah Winfrey Show, stated that, out of respect for the Bastardi family, Daniel had been avoiding media appearances since Larry King Live. It also fits both of their ridiculous theorys like the abyss causing a stroke. Its also known as Leandras Law. Diane Schuler and her two children, three nieces, and three of her children left a New York campground on July 26 in her van. He was a child , not a husband. The end of this exit ramp was marked with Do Not Enter and One Way signs. But the egregious nature of the accident is highly unique. At the time of the crash, Diane Schuler was travelling at around 85 km/h. Diane Schuler instantly died in the course of a single conversation. Schuler had a blood alcohol level of 0.19 at the time of the accident, and her family has long insisted that she was not a drunk driver. [9][18] Bryan was the only passenger of Schuler's vehicle to survive, suffering from broken bones and severe head trauma. If you have an auto brewery syndrome, your blood alcohol level is 3-4 times higher than normal, resulting in serious lifestyle issues. She really couldnt see. "[24] Bastardi's daughters appeared with their lawyer on NBC's Today, during which they raised the question of Daniel's culpability in enabling his wife's substance abuse, and called for him to undergo drug testing himself. Her minivan collided with an SUV, resulting in the deaths of Schuler, her daughter, her three nieces, and three passengers in the other car. [16][17] Within the next minute, four more 9-1-1 calls were placed by motorists who reported that a car was traveling the wrong way down the parkway, going approximately 7585 miles per hour (121137km/h). Two men who witnessed the crash and saw smoke rising out of the van ran to assist the occupants. The gas station employee whom Schuler asked for pain medication at around 11 a.m. also said, "[I knew] for a fact [that] she wasn't drunk when she came into the station. The 2009 Taconic State Parkway crash was a traffic collision that occurred shortly after 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, July 26, 2009, on the Taconic State Parkway in the town of Mount Pleasant, near the village of Briarcliff Manor, New York, United States. No Tylenol at the gas station, already running behind and worried, hence the call to her brother, so she starts sipping. Obviously diane thought this was the best she was going to do in marriage ( listen to her childhood friends) . display: none; Even though there is currently no cure for ABS, treatment can help manage the condition while lowering the risk of harm. Did she have a blood sugar imbalance that was made much worse by the alcohol? "The lengths these people are taking to deny reality are just astounding and painful to my clients," Irving Anolik, attorney for the Bastardis, told the News. [35], In September, a New York forensic pathologist[who?] Daniel eventually raised the money to retest the samples taken during Dianes autopsy along with new samples taken during the exhumation of Dianes body. The only way she could cope was by being perfect . #inline-recirc-item--id-d466033c-8c88-11e2-b06b-024c619f5c3d ~ .item:nth-child(5) { In his report, Zakanderar Milovanovic of the Westchester County medical examiners office describes Diane Schulers body and injuries in a gruesome manner but makes no mention of a tooth abscess, a lump on her leg, or diabetes three medical issues that her family There is no evidence to support any of these theories, and it appears that alcohol consumption was the likely cause of her death. Certainly not to drive straight, wrong side of the road or not. After driving 1.7 miles (2.7 km), Diane Schuler struck a 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer head-on at 85 mph. Police told WCBS that this information supports a new theory of the fateful night that Schuler, who smoked marijuana regularly according to her sister-in-law, but did not drink often, was overcome by the 10 shots of vodka she is believed to have consumed during her deadly drive. As a result of this reaction, the affected individuals blood alcohol content (BAC) rises. It was inconceivable for her to divorce after the damage shed seen herself as a child so maybe she decided that shed rather take the children to heaven with her than leave them to be reared by Daniel. [54] Bastardi relatives reacted with anger upon hearing that the NBC drama would be basing an episode on the real-life tragedy. She said that her daughters suffered terror, fear of impending death, extreme horror, fright, and mental anguish in the lead-up to their deaths. Due to the fact that Diane died, however, Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore said that charges died with her. The Bastardi family would file a lawsuit against Daniel Schuler and Warren Hance seeking unspecified damages for wanton, willful, and reckless conduct. Personal experience and the description below from St. John's University would suggest that she would be coherent enough to know what she was doing, even if a bit drunk. The autopsy report, prepared by Dr. Aleksandar Milovanovic of the Westchester County medical examiner's office, describes Diane Schuler's body and her injuries in grotesque -- but makes no mention of a tooth abscess, a lump on her leg or diabetes - three medical issues cited by her family's attorney as potential causes of the crash. / CBS News. Diane Schuler was a 36-year-old Long Island woman who tragically killed herself and seven others in a fiery wrong- way car crash on the Taconic State Parkway in New York in 2009. Gut fermentation syndrome is a medical condition that is poorly understood and poorly diagnosed, according to a review of the literature. Of course, increased potassium is very dangerous and our body responds by releasing insulin, because insulin helps to temporarily regulate potassium levels. Diane and Erin were among the eight people killed in a fiery crash on Sunday, July 26, 2009, when Diane Schuler plowed into an SUV while driving the wrong way on the Taconic Parkway in Westchester . [36], Daniel's persistence in disputing his wife's intoxication and drug use was condemned by relatives of the three Trail Blazer victims. Diane, her daughter, and two of her nieces died immediately upon impact. Daniel then changed his story, and consistently denied that his wife ever "drank to excess" or could have been drunk while driving that day. The three men in the Trailblazer: 81-year-old Michael Bastardi, his 49-year-old son Guy, and their friend, 74-year-old Dan Longo were also declared dead at the scene. Schuler and the children left Liberty at 11am. November 24, 2009 8:26pm. Schuler had a blood alcohol level of 0.19 at the time of the accident, and her family has long insisted that she was not a drunk driver. "[37] Their lawyer called Daniel's position totally outrageous, an insult to the intelligence of the American public, and a hoax. They got on Route 17/Interstate 86 and the New York Thruway (Interstate 87), Ramapo-Sloatsburg service area, and crossing the Tappan Zee Bridge, heading east. When gut fungi ferment carbohydrates they produce ethanol, resulting in an auto-brewery syndrome. It . That's just silly. Earlier this week, Dominic Barbara, attorney for Schuler's husband, Daniel, announced that Diane Schuler's body would be exhumed at her family's request. [19] On August 18, Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore said that no charges would be filed in the incident, because Schuler was the only person responsible for the deaths. Sad, horrific ending with too many innocent victims. The Unsolved UK Podcast Diane Schuler/Taconic Parkway, Unsolved 13th Apr 2019 1 Minute. Diane Schuler had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19 and 6 grams of alcohol in her stomach that had not yet metabolized, according to the report. Police believe that the car was stopped in a pull-off area beyond the Tappan Zee Bridge tollbooths for at least part of this call. 3 children killed, 2 others wounded at Texas home The birth of Kasey Rose came after Jackie had been pushed to the brink of taking her own life due to the grief from the loss of their daughters, Emma, 8; Alyson . This was a mentally unstable woman who did a great job of hiding it, had problems in her marriage, had reached a tipping point, and wanted to keep "control" by making sure her children didn't grow up without her. In 1934, a bus on its way from Brooklyn to Sing Sing prison in Ossining, New York drove off an embankment and plunged into a ravine. The investigation of the collision drew nationwide attention, as Schuler's husband Daniel strongly disagreed with the conclusion that she was heavily intoxicated at the time of the crash. When asked about the bottle of vodka found in the car, Daniel would say that they always kept a bottle in the camper and that Diane was in charge of packing and so must have moved it to the van. The end cap needs a bit of editing for clarification; you can indeed drive with a minor in the car but its a felony to so while intoxicated. Daniel Schulers insistence that his wife was not intoxicated at the time of the collision has drawn criticism, especially from the families of the victims in the Trailblazer. [10][19][20][21] The legal BAC limit for driving while intoxicated in New York is 0.08%. During the ride home, Schuler stopped with the children at a McDonalds and Sunoco gas station in Liberty. In fact, she had been observed carrying on an extended conversation while ordering her food and orange juice. The medical examiner reported that Diane Schuler's blood alcohol content was .19 percent, more than twice the legal limit. Because the children had come to rest in a pile together, the men did not notice Schuler's son, Bryan, lodged under another child. August 6, 2009 - Crash Mom's Husband: "I Would Marry Her Again Tomorrow", August 5, 2009 - Despicable! He remained hospitalized for several weeks before returning home in early October. I do not have a medical license and dont claim to but I have been in the medical field my entire career. Schuler, her daughter, and two of her nieces were declared dead at the scene. [30][31] Schuler's relatives have also disputed that Diane was known to drink heavily or irresponsibly. Wrong. [29][30] He also pointed to autopsy results that showed an absence of organ damage often found in chronic alcoholics, although an uninvolved medical examiner noted that such results cannot rule out alcohol abuse. According to her husband, the highway was poorly designed, allowing her to drive straight into traffic. She apparently never stopped doing things. Surveillance Clip Summary: Surveillance video showing Diane Schuler at a gas station before she caused a wreck that killed eight people. Schuler, her daughter, three nieces and three men from Yonkers in the SUV were killed in the collision. 2009 traffic collision in Mount Pleasant, New York, required by state law to include Hance in the suit, List of traffic collisions (2000present), "Wrong Way Tragedy: Supporting First Responders", "Wrong Way Tragedy: Shock, Mystery Still Linger", "Wrong Way Tragedy: First Responders Look Back", NY Police: Woman Was OK at Restaurant Before Crash, "A Week after the Crash, Questions Remain, Driver in deadly Taconic crash Diane Schuler was drunk, had marijuana in system, "Taconic-Crash Mom Drunk, High, Tests Reveal, "Alcohol and Phone-Call Details in Wrong-Way Crash, "Driver Spoke on Phone with Brother 25 Minutes Before Fatal Crash, "Investigators Reconstruct a Route That Led to 8 Deaths, "Bad Omens, a Fateful Turn, and 8 Lives Lost, "Wrong-way Turn onto Taconic Puzzles Many, "Child's Helpless Eyes Haunt Ossining Firefighter, "Diane Schuler, Wrong-Way Highway Driver Who Killed 8, Had 10 Drinks, Was High, "All Reported Normal Before Woman's Fatal Wrong-Way Drive, "Husband: Wrong-way Driver Didn't Drink. She reportedly told him that they were being delayed by traffic. [52] The next month, Oprah Winfrey devoted an episode of her show to the crash, interviewing Tom Ruskin via Skype, with Winfrey responding incredulously to several of his claims. On that bright sunny day 10 years ago, families were shattered in a fiery crash that killed . The report also said that Schuler also had high levels of THC, meaning that Schuler smoked marijuana as well. , Daniel Schuler filed a lawsuit against the state of New York for not keeping the road safe and against Warren Hance as he owned the minivan that Diane was driving. The crash was quickly ruled a homicide due to Dianes negligent driving. My guess is a migraine. So do we. Toxicology tests showed Diane Schuler, a 36-year-old Cablevision manager, had a .19 percent blood-alcohol level nearly 2 times today's .08 percent legal limit and had smoked pot within . comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment More posts from r/CrimeScene. Her body was severed at the waist and her legs were found several feet away from her torso. You will have trouble walking or standing and are at a greater risk of hurting yourself physically.