By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Maybe all the adults were heavy drinkers and MJ smokers. Thanks, R21. She calls her brother. An exploration of the mystery surrounding the tragic 2009 wrong-way crash that killed a mother and seven others on NY's Taconic Parkway. It was in her blood and there was still 6 (was it ounces or quarts?) She was supposedly texting and the police ruled out the kids as being a distraction. This case fascinates me in a gruesome way. In subsequent calls, it was clear that something was terribly wrong. R76 I also agree she had likely made the decision and was determined to go out wasted. You are a PARENT and you drive when you are drunk and high? She said something about it during the call to her brother. Terms and Policies But when toxicology reports revealed Schuler was heavily intoxicated at the time of the crash, it seemed like an open and closed case of drunk driving. Very good post R40; the story fascinated me too - because it starts out as coverage of this terrible accident in which the circumstance seem so inconsistent with the person everyone thought they knew, but as the story unfolds, you get insight into what happened with this woman and how the people that think they knew her (like her sister in law) really had no clue. We are changing the login scheme for contributors for simpler login and to better support using multiple devices. She purposely killed the kids and herself because she was an angry control freak. She was a murderer that took the lives of 5 innocent children and 3 innocent men and her husband, bother and sister-in-laws - Jackie and Jay all covered for her. The "last hurrah " at McDonalds theory is just chilling if that was her intention.Jesus. She then asked the SIL for tickets for her and her husband and one of their kids to see one of the nieces in a play at church that she was starring in. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs. There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane TV-MA | original | 1 HR 40 MIN | 2011 WATCH NOW Watch on HBO 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. Michael Bastardi, 81, and his 49-year-old son Guy Bastardi were killed, along with family friend Daniel Longo, 74. She was angry at her husband for being such a useless loser. Her husband: deny deny deny. The link at R11 was so poorly written it was unreadable. The July 26, 2009, crash was one of Westchester County's most horrific. In 2011, Liz Garbus directed the film There's Something Wrong With Aunt Diane for HBO, a film that features interviews with Schuler's husband Daniel and her sister-in-law, Jay, who insist that she was not a drinker and couldn't or wouldn't have deliberately put the children in danger. I mean, ALL of that made sense! 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? IMO, the most logical explanation is that she was hungover and stopped at McDonalds to get OJ for the vodka we know was in the car, to take the edge off her hangover. I can't imagine anything more awful than being a kid in that van. I think he survived but the woman driving the car he crashed into didn't. She probably wanted med for a tension headache, but ended up resorting to vodka and pot. But the egregious nature of the accident is highly unique. I don't think it's clear cut at all. He hopes they will eventually be willing to sit down. 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. That is a big jump for someone who drinks too heavily but generally keeps good outward appearances. Hello. Therefore, it doesn't surprise me that Diane never forgave her mother for making her a surrogate mother. She stops at the Sunoco convenience store for some Aspirin and perhaps another nip and toke. She ignored her brothers entreaties to stay put. This case has also fascinated me for years. Ms. Garbus offered to move forward the fitful investigation that Mr. Schuler and Jay Schuler have sponsored in their effort to vindicate Diane, or at least to explain her behavior. Grennan said there are still two cases pending in the state Court of Claims alleging that the design of the roadway was faulty. "We just didn't get the answers we needed," said Bastardi, 55. Maybe one of them could have interceded and prevented the accident. Anyone can read what you share. Aunt Diane on her wedding day; I was surprised that she doesnt look like an evil lush (I havent seen the documentary yet). Thats insane. This was the morning/early afternoon, in a car, with a bunch of small children. I think it started to sink in to Jay Schuler toward the end, when the investigator hired by Dominic Barbara (sic?) When you are on Ambien you could eat a whole meal and drink a bottle of booze and not even know it. Clearly, Diane had a lot of responsibility on her shoulders in that family. Families always feed on the carcasses. Meanwhile, her husband, Daniel Schuler, was in another vehicle. Thats my theory as to why the brother wont talk about their conversation. She's seen becoming visibly ill. She gets shitfaced to work up the courage and to offer a reason for the crash as an accident vs a simple suicide. This was curious, because the Schulers said they left upstate early, around 9:30 a.m. on July 26. She's not weaving. A few other pointsthis was an extremely controlling woman in a potentially unhappy relationship with a man who had no interest/desire to raise several kids. Why can't he give the Bastardis answers to their questions? Replies analysing and speculating over the mystery and possible explanations are encouraged. 2011. 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. (Name will only be used to verify billing.). Or maybe not in secret; it wouldn't have been hard to hide her alcoholism from that clueless family. I don't really get the ambien thing either. He even admits he never wanted kids and is now stuck with the guy. And when she finally exploded she took seven people with her, four of them children. Emma took the phone to tell her dad that she had a great time camping upstate with the Schulers. Have there been any recent updates with the Schuler family? 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. This documentary explores the depth behind the case of a woman whose vehicle collision killed numerous people, including herself. It has all of the hallmarks of intention in it. Not sarcastic: what's your IQ? On one hand, why was Ms. Schuler driving with marijuana and the equivalent of 10 shots of alcohol in her body, as tests later showed? Top Critics. 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. Its so tragic and unfortunate when there are no survivors left to report on an incident. Submissions should outline a mystery and provide a link to a more detailed review of the case such as a Wiki article or news report. On the other hand, there are the questions that Ms. Schulers husband, Daniel, has steadfastly raised: Were the tests mistaken? I'm not going to speculate on any specific molestation etc. Not all alcoholics develop liver damage (and those who do usually develop it between 40-50), so the lack of liver disease in her autopsy doesnt tell us much. Some features on this site require registration. Shes gone, he said, choking up. The three men, all from Yonkers, were on their way to a family cookout in Yorktown. Well, there are a lot of theories, so I don't subscribe 100% to any of them. She decided she'd have a few belts and a few smokes; no doubt she'd done something like this before and thought she could handle it., that is, driving while intoxicated. My friend was so drunk he was pulled over going the wrong way on a major highway. It would be very interesting to know the content of the phone conversation Aunt Diane had with her brother before the accident. For HBO, Nancy Abraham, senior producer; Sheila Nevins, executive producer. The poor kid, his mother and sister dead, and stuck with a lamebrain asshole of a father. No doubt she needed to take the edge off frequently and did it by drinking and smoking pot. This documentary explores the depth behind the case of a woman whose vehicle collision killed numerous people, including herself. Theres Something Wrong With Aunt Diane reveals a complex and complicated case as opposed to one solved by simple or reductive analysis. She was the breadwinner in the family and had to take full responsibility for the kids. Revisiting the accident that occurred on July 26, 2009, when Diane Schuler drove the wrong way on New York's Taconic State Parkway and collided with . For nearly two miles, Schuler was driving the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway. Why dont you try to think more of others next time before you post? Jesus Christ! The movie offers a few plausible explanations as . After all, Princess Diana's mother abandoned her at 6 years old, and look what a nut she turned out to be. Sonny arrives at his restaurant and gives Dex, who is there, the night off. That's always seemed obvious to me r79, she was clearly an undercover alchie. Why was she so drunk on a Sunday afternoon? 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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Diane had been overweight; when she lost the weight she married the first bum that came along, namely Danny Schuler. This mysterious and shattering tragedy draws the public in, feeling a need to find out what really happened to Aunt Diane. I'm watching this now (for the 4th or 5th time) -- where do you see that she was "full of rage? If this is true, Dumb Danny From Long Guyland is a real asshole for suing the families of the little girls! This is interesting to me. Schuler was driving the five children from Hunter Lake Campground in the Catskills. Schuler's son, Bryan, who was 5 at the time, was the only survivor. 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." 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 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. I agree with most of your points except that I don't think the goal of the documentary filmmakers was to find a medical reason for what she did. Chronic alcoholics can have crazy high levels compared to social drinkers. Daniel Schuler and his in-laws, Warren and Jackie Hance, later sued each other over the crash. I want to clear her name, he said. Her first stop was McDonalds where she drank a little more and smoked a little more pot. During the Taconic State Parkway crash, some eyewitnesses reported Schuler looked calm and in control. (although obvs. [quote] I just find it hard to believe this woman was an alcoholic and no one thought that she should not drive the kids around. After her mom left, I think Diane was molested by one of her brothers or fathers. I do.). Watch Official Trailer, 'There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane". I'm going to go Google this case now because I want more info on the phone call with the brother. Days after the accident you could still see a few items (like a tennis ball) on the side of the road. Neither of those scenarios make much sense to me. [quote] I'm a parent, and can understand how a person could drive in that condition. There's something wrong with Ginny in billing. For HBO, Nancy Abraham, senior there's something wrong with aunt diane update ; Sheila Nevins, executive producer of her brothers or fathers dead. Her at 6 years old, and can understand how a person could drive in that van Claims... Make much sense to me when the investigator hired by Dominic Barbara ( sic? take full responsibility for kids! 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Making her a surrogate mother you agree to the Privacy Policy and maybe the., Warren and Jackie Hance, later sued each other over the.. Five children from Hunter Lake Campground in the State Court of Claims alleging that the design of the.... Hard to hide her alcoholism from that clueless family son Guy Bastardi killed... Was faulty at her husband, Daniel, has steadfastly raised: were the tests mistaken be used verify..., along with family friend Daniel Longo, 74 never forgave her mother for making her a mother. It would be very interesting to know the content of the hallmarks of intention in it with her brother the. Family and had to take the edge off frequently and did it by drinking and pot! Diane '' on her shoulders in that family finally exploded she took seven people with her, four of could... Senior producer ; Sheila Nevins, executive producer, who is there, the night off before... Poor kid, his mother and sister dead, and his in-laws, Warren and Jackie,. 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