"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. What Daniel and Barbara pushed was that Diane suffered from some sort of stroke or medical issue, which led to her odd and erratic behavior. What caused Schuler to go on a major vodka binge with five children in the car, including her own son and daughter? The legal limit in the state of New York is .08%. The red Ford minivan hurtled down the fast lane of the northbound Taconic State Parkway in Mount Pleasant but it wasn't going north. Recommended. Schulers husband, sister-in-law, and an investigator working on their behalf all made claims and/or inferences that Schuler had spoken to the Sunoco clerk while attempting to buy over-the-counter pain-relief medication, although the gas station did not sell any. As you can draw from the preceding story of the Diane Schuler Accident, a reconstruction of events is essential to determine the cause of the tragedy. She apparently never stopped doing things. This woman has the most control over herself and everyone Ive ever seen. 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. [21] According to Barbara, Schuler was obese for much of her life and suffered from diabetes, although additional sources[which?] [12] According to a police report, Schuler was seen by witnesses at approximately 11:45 a.m. by the side of the road with her hands on her knees, as if vomiting; she was seen again in the same position a short time later, north of the Ramapo-Sloatsburg rest stop. Diane, her daughter, and two of her nieces died immediately upon impact. Diane Schuler's History-Making Crash. It is a medical condition in which the stomach produces an abnormally high amount of ethanol after eating a meal high in carbohydrates. According to a lawsuit filed against Schuler's estate by the three girls' mother, against the estate of . This tips her mental state completely off the rails and shes now tripping as if in a dream state. Exploring Sweetwater Beer: Is It Worth Trying. Earlier this week, an investigator hired by her husband, Daniel Schuler, says the medical examiner's report, which the family received last week, shows no sign of cirrhosis a sure indication of a habitual drinker. Diane Schuler Police Report - 2009 Taconic State Parkway Accident Created Date: 12/26/2009 12:44:12 PM . This documentary explores the depth behind the case of a woman whose vehicle collision killed numerous people, including herself. The end of this exit ramp was marked with Do Not Enter and One Way signs. [2] The crash was the worst fatal motor vehicle crash to occur in Westchester County[3] since July 22, 1934, when a bus crash in Ossining claimed twenty lives. He wants the truth. Crash Mom Was Trashed Now, nine years later, they may finally have an explanation: Schuler may have had auto-brewery syndrome, a rare condition in which yeast overgrowth in the gut ferments carbohydrates into alcohol. Diane Schuler her two children and three nieces did not get any chance to survive the crash. [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. She reportedly told him that they were being delayed by traffic. Dianes parents, who lived just down the road from the Schulers in Mount Pleasant, claimed to be her natural guardians. Performance & security by Cloudflare. 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 . Diane Schuler was cut in half when she was hit by a train while crossing a tracks. The pain of the abscess, combined with vodka and marijuana, could have put her in a temporary state of delirium that triggered her fatal behavior. 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. [9] Several witnesses later reported seeing a red minivan driving aggressively on Route 17/Interstate 86 and Interstate 87, including aggressively tailgating, flashing headlights, honking the horn, moving in and out of lanes, and straddling two lanes. [22] On November 7, Ruskin announced that the Schuler family had raised enough money to re-test Diane's tissue samples, and that the re-testing would "soon" take place. "It makes me angry that he keeps denying it," said Margaret Nicotina, Bastardi's daughter. She leaves her phone on the barrier on the side of the road. Was she really the reckless drunk, or the perfect suburban mother? This seems highly unlikely to me. I just don't understand how people can think someone goes from driving perfectly fine, using a cell phone totally fine, being "coherent" by all account witnesses, and having experience with heavy drinking, to "she drank herself to the point that she didn't realize she was driving the wrong-way for 2 miles without swerving.". September 27, 2022. Diane was highly controlled and did drink and smoke at least occasionally, and manage to function. Although showing the alcohol in the bloodstream is still an issue, I just wonder if it was a multitude of things combined. 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. Because the children had come to rest in a pile together, the men did not notice Schuler's son, Bryan, lodged under another child. Husband said, he never even wanted kids.there is more here. Diane Schulers death has left her family and friends in shock. An independent investigator hired by the Schuler family obtained DNA testing and toxicology re-testing of Schuler's samples, and confirmed the results of the original testing. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. .component--type-recirculation .item:nth-child(5) { We promise only to send you the most relevant news, contests, quizzes, and polls. Chronic fatigue syndrome can lead to anxiety, depression, and low productivity in addition to health issues. 185.111.106.78 She had to control her environment % in order to feel calm. In the 1940s, a rare condition known as auto-brewery syndrome was first identified. [10][19][20][21] The legal BAC limit for driving while intoxicated in New York is 0.08%. (If you are a man, you will have difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection.) What Happened To Diane Schuler Son? Daniel Schuler, who has asked that his wife's body be exhumed, has maintained . Warren Hance spoke with his eldest daughter Emma on that terrifying phone call in the days following the tragedy. Her brain, urine, blood, stomach, and eye fluid were also discovered to be alcohol-containing, as previously reported. Daniel eventually raised the money to retest the samples taken during Dianes autopsy along with new samples taken during the exhumation of Dianes body. Diane Schuler was diagnosed with gestational diabetes after giving birth and had an abscessed tooth for nearly two months. What happened essentially was that at some point after smoking pot and waiting for warren , she blacked out. Following the premiere of the HBO documentary Theres Something Wrong with Aunt Diane, 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. When not talking and writing about pop culture (especially superheroes or any show with a paranormal bent), freelance writer Bec Heim is usually tackling her mountain of books, writing scripts or stories, or listening to podcasts. Like untreated diabetes with even a few drinks mixed and abscess in tooth could all effect her state at the time. It was to help with some major pain that she didnt expect . Daniel denied that she drank to excess or smoked marijuana except on occasion to relieve insomnia. In her blackout she drove straight ( she thought) home to get there before anyone else but I think her real anger and pain took over and she ended up killing everyone in her deep pain. This money was, reportedly, to be placed in trust for Bryan. The report upheld the previous toxicology findings that, at the time of the crash, Schuler was highly intoxicated by alcohol and had high levels of THC in her system. I have never before witnessed or heard of an alcoholic get so messed up that they lose control or cohesion to this extent. If you or someone you know has ABS, you should seek professional help as soon as possible. He doesn't remember what happened in the car. All the best 'BoJack Horseman' season 6 fan theories, Diane Downs: The most famous murderous mother of all time. 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The auto-brewery syndrome has gained a lot of attention in recent years as a result of news reports and case studies. After removing Schuler from the van, the two men saw a large, broken Absolut Vodka bottle by the driver's side. display: block; I have a feeling that she found out that Daniel and Jay were having an affair and she confronted him about it that weekend. Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. The van traveled south for 1.7 miles (2.7km) in the parkway's northbound passing lane before colliding head-on, at approximately 1:35 p.m., with a 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer, which then struck a 2002 Chevrolet Tracker. Just hours after the accident, the driver, Diane Long, was weaving wildly through oncoming traffic for nearly two miles before she was killed. At the end of the documentary, over the phone, Ruskin states that he had called Jay months previously with the results and that she refused to pick up her phone. [2] A toxicology report released on August 4 by Westchester County medical examiners found that 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. Antibiotics, in addition to interfering with the guts natural microbiome, can cause yeast overgrowth. Her husband, Daniel Schuler, consistently denied that she used drugs or alcohol "excessively", and made multiple national media appearances to defend his late wife and call for further investigation into other possible medical causes for her erratic driving. Only Schuler's 5-year-old son, Bryan, survived. At the time of impact, Schuler was traveling approximately 85mph. She told Hance that Schuler was having trouble speaking clearly and seeing the road. She is known as the main subject of the Taconic State Parkway crash back in 2009. 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. Her niece would later die at the hospital while Bryan would be the only survivor from Schulers van, sustaining broken bones and severe head trauma. [28], Ruskin told reporters in early September that he had interviewed Diane's relatives, none of whom had ever seen her intoxicated by alcohol. August 7, 2009 - Crash Mom's Husband: Killer or Victim: Who Was Wrong-Way Crash Mom? Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. It is a rare medical condition that can be treated by treating auto-brewery syndrome (ABS) or Gut fermentation syndrome. This week marks two years since Diane Schuler, a 36-year-old Long Island "supermom," caused a collision while driving a minivan the wrong way on New York's Taconic State Parkway. Schuler, a 36-year-old Long Island mother of two, was at the wheel, drunk and high, headed south at 70 mph in the northbound lane. It also fits both of their ridiculous theorys like the abyss causing a stroke. [57] Stephen King's short story "Herman Wouk is Still Alive" in his horror fiction anthology The Bazaar of Bad Dreams (2015) is, according to King, a story directly based on the Taconic State Parkway crash. Cookie Notice All the conspiracies surrounding Nicola Bulleys disappearance and death, Who killed Jeffrey Epstein? Her body was severed at the waist and her legs were found several feet away from her torso. In fact, she had been observed carrying on an extended conversation while ordering her food and orange juice. [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. Schuler's family, including her husband, Daniel Schuler, blamed her bizarre behavior . [4][5], The ensuing investigation into the crash's cause received nationwide media attention. Donate today. That Diane Schuler, . I would like to suggest a possibility. In addition to the legal battles, the Child Passenger Protection Act was passed in New York following the accident. These lives passed instantly when the crash happened. [21][23][24] When Larry King and Oprah Winfrey asked Daniel about the vodka in the van, he claimed that the couple always kept an "old" bottle in their camper. Surveillance Clip Summary: Surveillance video showing Diane Schuler at a gas station before she caused a wreck that killed eight people. An autopsy report concludes that there were no heart problems or brain issues in the deceased. Warren Hance, father of three victims and brother of mom, comes out of the church at the funeral for Emma, Alyson and Kate Hance and Diane and Erin. [40], According to a Westchester County medical examiner, the crash was ruled a homicide soon after it occurred because the victims were killed due to Diane Schuler's negligent driving, regardless of toxicology findings. Daniel, announced that Diane Schuler's body would be exhumed at her family's request. ", "ME: Schuler retests will show lower alcohol content. Archer, who works for the family of victim Daniel Longo, said the documents confirm much of what Schuler's husband Daniel refuses to discuss: his wife Diane was a pothead. ", "Wrong-Way Crash: "Diane Would Not Do This, "Victims' Families Express Revulsion at Schuler's TV Appearance, "Taconic Mom Drank But Was No Drunk: Hubby Changes Story, "Driver Said to Have Used Marijuana Regularly, "Family of Victims in Deadly Taconic crash Support Gov. 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. [9][12][14][15], Investigators did not determine what route Schuler took from the bridge to the Taconic State Parkway ramps near Briarcliff Manor. display: none; When gut fungi ferment carbohydrates they produce ethanol, resulting in an auto-brewery syndrome. Taste The Refreshing Flavors Of Belgian White Ale! By Fiona Roberts. A final autopsy report shows Diane Schuler was drunk -- and there was no evidence of other medical conditions that explain the deadly crash. Diane's niece died in the hospital . She drank more. It was no doubt that Dianne's minivan is the one that crashes severely with another vehicle. Taconic death-driver Diane Schuler's family is seizing on autopsy results as proof she wasn't an alcoholic - even though they show she was drunk and stoned. Blunt force trauma is the initial trauma (the immediate impact from the collision) from which develops more specific types such as bruises, abrasions, lacerations and/or bone fractures. [54] Bastardi relatives reacted with anger upon hearing that the NBC drama would be basing an episode on the real-life tragedy. According to Dominic Barbara, the body will be exhumed, according to Larry King this week. Lawyers for the family of two of the Yonkers men killed in the crash dismiss Ruskin's interpretation of the autopsy results as a plus in the Schuler's column. You will have trouble walking or standing and are at a greater risk of hurting yourself physically. "Exhuming her body is only going to prolong the pain of the families involved . People with liver problems may also experience auto brewery syndrome. said, "[It] might have been an embolism". GoreGirl89 Mortician&F.D. Was there a lot of pain she experienced? She drank and smoked to give herself courage/numb the pain, and she 100% got on the highway on the wrong side intentionally to kill herself and her kids. Daniel Schuler won custody of the children just three days after Dianes death on October 25, 2002, a Suffolk County judge determined. As a result of this reaction, the affected individuals blood alcohol content (BAC) rises. [22] The Westchester County medical examiner's office, which had performed the autopsy, commented that the chemical degradation of the fluid samples over time was likely to result in lowered alcohol and THC readings; however, several toxicology experts[which?] Something probably happened at the camping trip that made her reconsider the entire marriage with Danny - rather than go through a divorce, "lose control" of her marriage and kids, have her children experience a traumatic separation as she did, and leave her kids to an incapable/uninterested father, she decided to remain "in control" and put the kids and herself out of this misery. A devastating multi-car crash from 2009 gets some clarity with a fresh look at psychological profiling and behavioral analysis. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. November 24, 2009 8:26pm. comments sorted by Best Top New Controversial Q&A Add a Comment More posts from r/CrimeScene. Diane Schulers red Ford minivan went off the north side of the Taconic State Parkway in Mount Pleasant at 7:00 p.m. on October 25, 2002, and into a guard rail. If youre a massive true crime stan, do sign upfor our newsletter. On that bright sunny day 10 years ago, families were shattered in a fiery crash that killed . According to her husband, the highway was poorly designed, allowing her to drive straight into traffic. .14 - .19 The "good feelings" of euphoria begin to give way to some negative feelings such as anxiety and restlessness. This is performed by accurately interpreting the clues left by the . At this point, she left her cell phone along the highway; it was found by another motorist by the side of the road near the tollbooths. If we accept the case that she is an alcoholic (I think the alcoholism is moot at this point), then you're trying to tell me that a seasoned alcoholic who has presumably been drinking heavily for years, gets this messed up after some vodka and weed? I do not have a medical license and dont claim to but I have been in the medical field my entire career. [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). No possible explanation suffices for the horrific July 26 crash, in which Ms. Schuler, returning from a camping trip, drove 1.7 miles in the wrong direction on a curvy . Jackie Hance, sister-in-law of Diane Schuler, is shown in photo with two of her three daughters who were killed in crash Sunday when Schuler entered Taconic Parkway and drove the wrong way. The following photos are of the collision site only, and do not feature autopsy and cadaver photos. Her husband, Daniel, took his pick-up truck and their dog. Her issues with her mother and brothers had never even been discussed much less resolved. 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. Ruskin then informs her that his tests corroborated the previous tests; that Diane was highly intoxicated from alcohol and marijuana. Let's also consider the evidenceshe drove perfectly to a McDonald's, rest stop, etc., had the cohesion to use her phone and make a call, but somehow cannot recognize the fact that she is driving on the wrong side of the highway, and does so perfectly straight without any swerving, etc.