8 Die in Crash on Taconic State Parkway #2

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I think so many of the cases we follow here leave us wondering why. Why did Scott Peterson kill Laci? Why did Jody Arias kill Travis Alexander?

For me, the part of this particular crime that was most difficult was to think that Diane could possibly have committed suicide by vehicle along with murdering her own and her brother's children. If she had been by herself, well, that would have been different.

But this woman was chugging out of an open bottle that was right there in the car on the floor of the passenger seat. That is criminal behavior. And she was high on pot.

So, she knowingly was committing criminal behaviors by getting high and driving and by drinking AS she was driving. And not drinking a little bit. Drinking a LOT.

As a mother and grandmother, I still have a hard time wrapping my head around this one.
 
zip, I agree with reb. I'm not looking to "excuse" DS, just to understand why she did what she did on the fateful morning.

To me, the toothache doesn't absolve her, but given some of the abscesses I've had, I can imagine her self-medicating to the point she was almost literally "blind drunk."
 
Hi Nova, Well since it's so difficult to tell fact from fiction with this case, I'm not sure about the Ambien. I've read in some articles that she had a prescription for it, (however, is there proof- who knows? And the husband being all dodgy about everything doesn't help). But there were no traces of that in the toxicology report.. assuming it was accurate. But I still think the fact that she said her 'head hurt' and she 'couldn't see' are important clues. I guess if you're blacked out from booze you have trouble seeing. There is no doubt that she binged, the question is why, and what triggered it (if anything?).. what altered her judgement so quickly to make all this happen?
I just think there may be something more than, 'she was stressed and just felt like drinking that day'. Maybe not, and I guess since there are no more new clues, it's all just pointless speculation...


It could be that she drank less that day than usually and was having withdrawal symptoms because she was driving the kids. When you are a constant alcoholic you need that level of alcohol to function and not feel awful. It could be that she was trying not to drink as much and having a head ache and vision issues had to do with that.

When this first happened I wanted there to be any explanation for it that was not deliberate. There is none. She was drinking got behind the wheel and killed them all. I don't believe it was deliberate as in suicide. I believe it was deliberate as in drinking and being high and driving.


Forgive the autocorrect. Tapatalk has a mind of its own. :)
 
Here's another consideration. We all know that alcoholics can get blind drunk and seem completely functional to others. We also know that in those moments the alcoholic may think they are "ok." If she had a regular ritual of drinking and she's off on a camping trip, she may have been someone who usually had "shots" at a bar or in the privacy of her home. So since all she had at her disposal was the vodka, she may have drank way more than she could handle without realizing it.
 
I think another thing that has us all (me very much so) questioning and questioning, is that fact that Danny seems to sling alot of BS. Aligning himself with Dominic Barbara (lets all pause on that for a moment sweetlings) and following a line of "Diane NEVER drank" which we found to be a lie doesnt exactly endear him to us or elicit sympathy.
Something that rankles with me is that Danny has not spoken about the weekend or how Diane was when they parted that morning. I know he has said she was "fine". I would like more detail----the picture shown of the weekend had her in a longsleeved black shirt----she wore the same in the Sunday video----was the photo taken Saturday or Sunday? My point of asking this is--was she hungover and slept in her clothes the night before? Or did she change and put the same clothes on in the morning? The latter scenario I find not likely given to what I percieve as her being a "I wore it once now it is filthy and must be washed!" person.
 
I think so many of the cases we follow here leave us wondering why. Why did Scott Peterson kill Laci? Why did Jody Arias kill Travis Alexander?

For me, the part of this particular crime that was most difficult was to think that Diane could possibly have committed suicide by vehicle along with murdering her own and her brother's children. If she had been by herself, well, that would have been different.

But this woman was chugging out of an open bottle that was right there in the car on the floor of the passenger seat. That is criminal behavior. And she was high on pot.

So, she knowingly was committing criminal behaviors by getting high and driving and by drinking AS she was driving. And not drinking a little bit. Drinking a LOT.

As a mother and grandmother, I still have a hard time wrapping my head around this one.

That is something that sticks surely---it was POT and VODKA in her system at the time and apparently she was an habitual user of both. Her husband being unaware of this seems unlikely in my opinion. And trying to elevate her on the pedestal of motherhood is disrespectual to all mothers. Again MOO.
 
JMO (disclaimer: I haven't read nearly everything about this case), I don't believe this was her first time driving intoxicated. It's possible there was something medical going on that made her more affected by the drinking than usual but even so, you don't get high on pot accidentally, no matter what your medical condition, (I consider it extremely unlikely that a McD worker laced her takeaway with cannabis) and most of the time it takes a seasoned drunk driver to even have a bottle of vodka available in the passenger seat.
 
There is no reason to suspect that Diane was having a "mini-stroke." Mini strokes do not cause people to reach for a bottle of vodka after having smoked weed. The most likely physical condition which caused her to get so blitzed is functional alcoholism.

The autopsy report describes her mouth and teeth in detail. I'm not believing that the coroner just happened to miss a horrific tooth abscess.

Daniel worked nights. It's completely believable that DS soothed her nerves at night with pot and alcohol and he could be unaware of the extent. Daniel stated that as evidence of DS's NOT being a heavy drinker was that she would pour the rest of the wine out of a bottle after she had a couple glasses. That is a classic sign of a drinker. "Did you drink that whole bottle last night after I went to bed?" "No! I had a couple of glasses and poured the rest out." I've lived with someone who used to use that line, when I knew for a fact it was a lie.


Whatever set off DS that day may never be known, but she's not the first person to go off on a binge because she's pissed off, upset, fed up, or whatever. There is no reason to do cartwheels, conjuring up mysterious medical conditions to explain how she could have not realized what she was doing. Occam's Razor, people.

BTW, the drug screen was not "wrong." Daniel's PI had samples re-tested, and they came out exactly the same as the state's sample.
 
Remembering Michael Bastardi, Guy Bastardi and Daniel Longo

"Wonderful" was the word used to describe Guy Bastardi and his father, Michael. Loves ones say that if you were a friend to them, you were family. If you were family, then you were a friend.

Michael loved his family. He had 10 grandchildren and two great grandchildren, and nothing brought him more joy than spending time with them. He also loved working on cars. If anyone had a problem in their house, then he wanted to be the one to fix it.

Guy was the type of person you could always call and he'd be there for you. He, too, was a big family man who loved to cook and travel.

Also riding in the car with the Bastardis was Daniel Longo—remembered as a good friend, brother and uncle. All who knew him say he was a gentle person who didn't have a mean bone in his body. His brother says that he retired four years ago from a job he held for more than 25 years, and he was just starting to enjoy life.

A statement from Margaret Nicotina, sister of Guy and daughter of Michael:
People who make a choice to drink and get high and then drive a car should understand all the lives their choices touch. My dad and brother were a huge part of not only my life but their grandchildren, nieces and nephews. There are 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren whose lives are forever changed. They were robbed of their grandfather's love and wisdom and their uncle's love and humor. Families who are aware that someone in their family has a problem should do whatever they have to, to stop the murders that drunken drivers commit.

A statement from Roseann M. Guzzo, sister of Guy and daughter of Michael: Not a day passes since July 26, 2009, that I don't cry about the senseless, preventable murder of my father, brother and friend. Diane Schuler has robbed my family of priceless time we could have shared together. She was drunk and high and used her car as a weapon. My family prays for the murky events of that day to be cleared. I hope that the same laws that were extended for gangs will someday be applied to people who witness drunk or high people getting behind the wheel of a car, especially when children are involved. Recent tragedies involving drunken drivers have made that more relevant to cases like this.
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20091022-tows-schuler-family-statements/2

Remembering the others that DS choices/actions forever changed their lives.
 
...Daniel stated that as evidence of DS's NOT being a heavy drinker was that she would pour the rest of the wine out of a bottle after she had a couple glasses. That is a classic sign of a drinker. "Did you drink that whole bottle last night after I went to bed?" "No! I had a couple of glasses and poured the rest out." I've lived with someone who used to use that line, when I knew for a fact it was a lie.....

(Emphasis added.) Good point. Who else does that?!

I don't know about the very rich, but the rest of us put the cork back in the bottle and put the leftover wine in the refrigerator. Maybe we don't serve it to guests, but we don't hesitate to finish it ourselves the next day. (And, trust me, we ain't drinking expensive wine at MY house.)

***

On an entirely different note and just to be clear to those who fear some of us are trying to exonerate DS: I watched the doc several times when it first came out and I'm interested when somebody posts here. That doesn't mean I'm up late ust looking for an excuse to absolve the driver.

Even if she was self-medicating extreme pain, it was still a flaw in her character that put her behind the wheel--drunk-driving childre--rather than calling for help.
 
Whether she had a medical issue that affected her mental state & judgment so badly it caused her to start guzzling booze, or if she was merely a Super Mom/ Closet drunk just doing her usual thing, it's still necessary (and natural) to want to understand exactly how this happened. Then perhaps someone somewhere can prevent this kind of event from occurring again.. by recognizing the signs ahead of time and intervening. And of course when it's someone being a secret alcoholic, the whole thing that makes it so challenging is their talent for hiding it. So to better understand this personality (disorder?) is important.
Which, in this case, was aided by the husband's extreme detachment/ cluelessness. I mean, lots of couple live separate lives.. but how can you possibly NOT know so many basic realities about your spouse....?? That's almost more baffling that the horrible thing she did.
I mean, I can see why he'd be scared to speak up while she was alive, if he was afraid of her, or she was the powerful breadwinner, or whatever.. but geez,, she's dead now... so speak up! Why the stonewalling, still...?? I know denial is a powerful thing but you'd think now that so much time has passed, he could see things more clearly...
Another thing that keeps not making sense.. if she WAS a long-term closet drinker.. then you'd think she'd be good at functioning this way, right? So she's a little stressed, takes a few sips to take the edge off- all good now. But why was this day so different than any other? She was taking the kids back after a relaxing (I assume?) weekend camping.. nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe she felt crappy that morning, but it's hard to believe she just went on a random death-wish binge without something major setting her off.
It looks to be the case, but still hard to comprehend. (at least when you're thinking with a rational brain.........)
 
^^^^There's no way to get all the answers to your questions. Sorry, there just isn't. Daniel's not talking and he has nothing to gain and lots to lose if he reveals that he actually knew that Diane was off that morning or that they had had some kind of horrible argument which set her on that path.
 
^^^^There's no way to get all the answers to your questions. Sorry, there just isn't. Daniel's not talking and he has nothing to gain and lots to lose if he reveals that he actually knew that Diane was off that morning or that they had had some kind of horrible argument which set her on that path.


Which still does not matter. Her choices are what matter. Not his. Hers. She was the one getting on the road and responsible for all the lives she took. One thing I will say in his defense is that I lived with an alcoholic for a time. I had no clue at the level of drinking that was going on. None. Because when I was at work and he was supposed to be at work he would go to the bar and start drinking at 11am. He would come home ripped but I just thought it was too much at happy hour. When I left was when I found out from other people and then him as he spiraled and then got help.

Alcoholics are incredibly sneaky people. Some are good enough to fool people close to them. I'm cutting her dh some slack because I think he just can not believe the facts. It is just too hard for him to cope with. But the facts are there. The tests are there. She was blitzed when she got in the road that day. For all we know she could have been blacking out at the wheel. But not because of a stroke or medical event. Because she was completely and utterly loaded




Forgive the autocorrect. Tapatalk has a mind of its own. :)
 
But the facts are there. The tests are there. She was blitzed when she got in the road that day. For all we know she could have been blacking out at the wheel. But not because of a stroke or medical event. Because she was completely and utterly loaded




:)

I agree. Which is why all the "tooth abscess," "mini-stroke," "instantaneous relapse of gestational diabetes" and other such attempts to explain her behavior strike me as so ridiculous. She did what thousands of other people do every single day: she pumped herself full of drugs and alcohol and got behind the wheel of a car. When others do this, we don't try to manufacture all manner of unlikely scenarios to show that the person was compelled by factors beyond their control to consume. I really don't get why so many people are willing to give this woman a pass, that she MUST have been stricken with some medical condition which causes people to blindly chug vodka and smoke weed in some desperate attempt to ease pain.
 
(Emphasis added.) Good point. Who else does that?!

I don't know about the very rich, but the rest of us put the cork back in the bottle and put the leftover wine in the refrigerator. Maybe we don't serve it to guests, but we don't hesitate to finish it ourselves the next day. (And, trust me, we ain't drinking expensive wine at MY house.)

***

On an entirely different note and just to be clear to those who fear some of us are trying to exonerate DS: I watched the doc several times when it first came out and I'm interested when somebody posts here. That doesn't mean I'm up late ust looking for an excuse to absolve the driver.

Even if she was self-medicating extreme pain, it was still a flaw in her character that put her behind the wheel--drunk-driving childre--rather than calling for help.

BRAVO!!! We heard how many times about how "thrifty" Diane was? Her legendary thrift was the reason why the vodka bottle travelled along on the camping trip--she would buy one bottle and bring it along.
 
http://www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/Other/schuler, diane_report.pdf

I'm no doctor, but DS autopsy indicated that her liver was normal, and there are no notes indicating long term drinking effects on it. If DS was a closet drinker, a long time drinker, or heavy drinker/alcoholic - wouldn't the effect of constant drinking be evident?

For the record - I too enjoy reading everyone's posts here, I have for years, and I asked my question a few posts ago because I want to know what you think - not because I fear your answer - but because I am curious.
 
reb----your post at # 1756------I agree---Danny's detachment and cluelessness is disturbing----(I had said to myself a few times "Hey pal, do you actually live there??")
I think he is so fearful of being sued that he will remain silent--not looking to preserve Diane's memory to his little boy but so no one can go after him.
And I think she drank and smoked pot daily----this particular day I think to use the parlance of my youth-She dropped the hammer--she got drunk the night before and was totally hung-over and pissed off when she drove out of the campsite---once of the Hance girls had dance rehearsal or play rehearsal and had to be home at a certain time----could have been another thing pissing off Diane--she could not sleep it off a few hours and stopped at McD's for a hair of the dog.
 
http://www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/Other/schuler, diane_report.pdf

I'm no doctor, but DS autopsy indicated that her liver was normal, and there are no notes indicating long term drinking effects on it. If DS was a closet drinker, a long time drinker, or heavy drinker/alcoholic - wouldn't the effect of constant drinking be evident?

For the record - I too enjoy reading everyone's posts here, I have for years, and I asked my question a few posts ago because I want to know what you think - not because I fear your answer - but because I am curious.

It depends imo. Alcohol is a serious risk factor for getting liver damage eventually if you go on drinking for long enough but she might have died before liver damage had time to become evident.

http://www.montana.edu/wwwai/imsd/alcohol/Vanessa/vwliver.htm
 
zip---your post at 1743-----I think one big question/discussion that came of this horrible event is "Moms who drink/Moms on the edge"-----a whole lotta discourse came about overworked moms, moms who drink on the side, playdates where moms are getting hammered while the kids watch TV. Diane's "little secret" brought alot of things into the public forum.
 
BRAVO!!! We heard how many times about how "thrifty" Diane was? Her legendary thrift was the reason why the vodka bottle travelled along on the camping trip--she would buy one bottle and bring it along.

IMO - it was Daniel who suggested this bottle went back and forth, in an effort to explain why the bottle was in the car.

But - I must say that during the summer, I go down the shore for long weekends as much as I can. I too pack up the "bar", and which has had bottle(s) that have made a few trips too. So, I think its true that a bottle could make multiple trips.

As for DS being thrifty - I disagree, as it appears to me that she was a compulsive and/or impulsive shopper.

http://nymag.com/news/features/62043/index1.html

"One time, Diane ran out for milk and returned with a flat-screen TV. Another time, she went out for groceries and returned with a Jeep Cherokee. “She deserved it,” Danny tells me.

Shopping was one of Diane’s favorite things to do. After work, she loaded the kids in the car and ran off to Kohl’s or Wal-Mart to sniff out bargains. Diane stockpiled Christmas presents starting in July. Their attic is full of neatly packed outfits for the 2-year-old Erin and Bryan for years to come. “The attic’s insane,” says Danny. When Diane saw a nice brown pocketbook that Jay, her sister-in-law, would like, she bought it, the same way she bought a $300 bat for Jay’s son, making him promise to hit home runs.
 
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