Taconic Driver Diane Schuler was drunk and high

[americanpolice 24]

Reports are coming in stating Schuler had a BAC of .19 and marijuana in her system.

http://www.lohud.com/article/2009908040357

[helicopper 1,050]

Reports are coming in stating Schuler had a BAC of .19 and marijuana in her system.

http://www.lohud.com/article/2009908040357

Here's a ridiculous question... Why do we call it high when marihuana is a depressant and ostensibly brings you down?

Absolutely horrible information. To drive like that with 5 kids in your car. Simply incomprehensible!

[MJP399 4]

Horrible news, and this effected so many people from the first responders, to the lives that were lost.

Possible murder-suicide?

[x648eng119 2]

Another tragic incident at the hands of stupidity. When will people learn!

[x129K 1,393]

Unfrigging Real......

Thos poor, poor babies and innocent guys........

[Jared1979 19]

that is just terrible

[efdcapt115 1,511]

I really hope the responding agencies made available counselors for all members who worked this job. Stuff like this can just haunt you for years.

[Eagle24 2]

Wow...I didn't think I could go from pitying a person to hating them so quickly...I think I can speculate why the relatives didn't want her to drive...

[FFLieu 70]

And now I hope, in light of this new finding, that the families of the occupants of the other vehicles sue the ever-loving hell out of Shuler's estate.

[Tapout 42]

Just disgusting. Is anyone now going to delve into the source of the drugs/alcohol? Perhaps it would explain the silence of the husband- don't tell me he was unaware of her behavior. You don't get to the point of blazing and drinking alcohol in the AM before a long road trip after only occasional, recreational use. And the brother- he didn't know either? Riiiight. :angry:

And for those who might argue this drinking/smoking happened the night before and she was still under the influence in the AM, the pot may have been from the day or 2 before but a bac that high had to have come from recent drinking (like within hours of the MVA). A good liver can filter twice that overnight.

All those who got PTSD last week, in light of this latest news, go again. Seriously. Get the understandable anger out in a therapeutic environment. Then find a good karate school and beat the ever living @#$% out of people without going to jail!

[tommyguy 104]

Yes it's absolutely shocking. I can't even think of anything else to write except I'll say a silent prayer for all involved especially the Bastardi and Longo families of Yonkers.

[ajsbear 11]

And now I hope, in light of this new finding, that the families of the occupants of the other vehicles sue the ever-loving hell out of Shuler's estate.

No tthe answer. The one kid who survived is going to need everything they have, between caring for his injuries long term and having to deal with losing all he lost at 5 years old. This 5 year old boy is going to be a mess for a long time.

[grumpyff 1,159]

Absolutely sick is how this makes me feel. The brother had to know she was bombed, not that it would have made much of a difference. I can only imagine the guilt he feels,

To the agencies that responded, and dealt with the aftermath, you were dealt a bad hand, and did the best you could. Keep up with the counseling, and keep an eye on each other. Some of the sympytoms may not appear for some time, months even.

[GAW6 66]

As one of the responders last week, one of the things that got me through it all was that it appeared that those children died without knowing what hit them. Now hearing this has me so upset thinking about how frightened those little ones must have been in the car with that drunken, stoned maniac!!!! And the husband, he had to have known, he was probably drinking and smoking with her and then took off in his truck - at least he didn't kill the dog, so that 5-year old little boy has something left!

She's nothing but a MASS MURDERER!!!!

God Bless the Bastardi and Longo families, and the occupants of the third vehicle, they are going to need a lot of prayers after hearing this news.

[x129K 1,393]

As one of the responders last week, one of the things that got me through it all was that it appeared that those children died without knowing what hit them. Now hearing this has me so upset thinking about how frightened those little ones must have been in the car with that drunken, stoned maniac!!!! And the husband, he had to have known, he was probably drinking and smoking with her and then took off in his truck - at least he didn't kill the dog, so that 5-year old little boy has something left!

She's nothing but a MASS MURDERER!!!!

God Bless the Bastardi and Longo families, and the occupants of the third vehicle, they are going to need a lot of prayers after hearing this news.

As will you and your peers. Strong work and may God Bless.

[GAW6 66]

As will you and your peers. Strong work and may God Bless.

Thank you so much!

[Guest]

the stupidity in this world amazes me. how can a single person be so stupid to risk and ultimately kill 7 other people. this sickens me. my prayers are with the deceased and the responders

[grumpyff 1,159]

WABC Channel 7 is reporting BAC of.19 and marijuana levels consistant with smoking within 30 minutes to 1 hour before her death. Also undigested alcohol in her stomach. What the hell was she thinking, smoking and drinking with the kids in her car. Not one for 'conspiracy theories', but I am beginning to think something else is going on here, maybe a fight with her husband???

[ny10570 745]

There's no conspiracy. This is a woman with a problem that no one in her family stepped up and addressed properly. She had 6 grams of alcohol (a little less than 1/2 a drink) in her stomach and almost 10 drinks in her blood. That much in the blood and that little in the stomach sounds like rapid absorption or drinking on an empty stomach. I can hold my fair share at the bar, but there's no way I could fire back that much vodka in such short period. Another problem, if a friend or relative called and said they weren't feeling well while driving home I'd just tell them to take it easy, be careful, and if they ran into any trouble to give me call. I wouldn't be making calls to 911 and jumping into my car to find them. Thats a bit of an over reaction. If that person called and was slurring their speech or sounded incoherent, then I'd be on the phone to the troopers and hauling butt to try and find them.

Hopefully at the very least people can take from this that the actions of those around us have a potentialy massive affect on us all. If you know someone with a problem, get them help. There's no such thing as "Its their problem."

[Remember585 815]

A-hole. Nothing more, nothing less. She took 4 childrens' lives and 3 innocent peoples. If she was depressed and this was a suicide attempt, I have no pity for her. Call me heartless, but she could swerved in front of one of my relatives or friends, or worse, hit another van full of innocent children. I have grown cold to stupidity when it results in the injuries or death to the innocent. I've seen too many accidents caused by recklessness, stupidity and/or substance abuse. If people want to make the poor choices that could take their own lives, stay off the roads where innocent people are!

GRRRRRR......

Edited August 5, 2009 by Remember585

[x134 46]

I have never been to an accident with that many deaths at one time. I have been to ones and twos and an occasional three but never eight. And children involved just puts a different spin on the whole thing.... Keep your heads up guys, seek help if it is offered. This one you won't forget... AND AS FOR THE DRIVER THAT CAUSED THIS HORRIBLE ACCIDENT I HAVE NO WORDS!!!! This just makes me hug my kids a little tighter and I tell them I love them even more... May they rest in peace

[Guest paramedico987]

Well... so much for this one was different from all the other wrong way highway crashed.

Frown face still maintained.

[dadbo46 50]

The children.....Oh my God.......the children !!!

[tommyguy 104]

I'm not trying to spread the blame around, but the drivers who told State Police investigators they remembered the "red SUV with kids inside" being driven very erractically on Rt. 17 and the Thruway, that bothers me a lot.

If kids are involved adults have an obligation in a situation like that to call 911.

I not only would've, I have!

I don't like to make trouble for people, but if you don't act and then something happens you're kicking yourself in the butt for the rest of your life.

[x129K 1,393]

I'm not trying to spread the blame around, but the drivers who told State Police investigators they remembered the "red SUV with kids inside" being driven very erractically on Rt. 17 and the Thruway, that bothers me a lot.

If kids are involved adults have an obligation in a situation like that to call 911.

I not only would've, I have!

I don't like to make trouble for people, but if you don't act and then something happens you're kicking yourself in the butt for the rest of your life.

That seems to be a recurring comment on the paper comments and such...Yes, people called in an erratic vehicle that fit the description - but WHY wasnt it stopped!?

Those with any sort of law enforcement background know just how many of these complaints are called in dailey, and how hard it is to locate them...cops stretched too thin, tied up on other calls, manpower shortages, wrong place, right time...whatever the reason, many, many times it is difficult at best to locate each "BOLO".....

[x134 46]

That seems to be a recurring comment on the paper comments and such...Yes, people called in an erratic vehicle that fit the description - but WHY wasnt it stopped!?

Those with any sort of law enforcement background know just how many of these complaints are called in dailey, and how hard it is to locate them...cops stretched too thin, tied up on other calls, manpower shortages, wrong place, right time...whatever the reason, many, many times it is difficult at best to locate each "BOLO".....

I can appriciate tommyguys opinion, and he is right we all need to act when we see these type of things. These situations always make me think when I am at work and my wife and children are out on the road.... But Dan is right.... I have called 911 many times for eratic drivers... people argueing with children in the car, eratic driving with children in the car... and not once have I ever had an officer get there in time.....

Buy no means do I think it is Law Enforcements fault, Like Dan said right place right time .... and spread to thin

I travel the TSP from Millbrook (Dutchess County) to Maria Fareri Childern Hospital at Westchester Medical Center and the doctors offices on Bradhurst Ave and even down to the Ardsley / Greenburgh exit to Sawmill River Rd quite often and pass that spot all the time.. and I said to my wife that could have been us.. Just makes you think alot about life and how precious your family and friends are!

[tommyguy 104]

I understand the difficulty of finding the vehicle, I'm not criticizing law enforcement in any manner, shape or form.

But all the 911 reports I read about were from the Taconic, not earlier on Rt. 17 and I-87.

Remember the State Police were informed of a problem by the husband after she was east of the Tappan Zee. Were they aware at that time there'd been problems earlier on Rt. 17 or the Thruway? It doesn't sound like they were.

It sounds like the drivers reporting that they 'd seen her driving erratically on Rt. 17 (passing on shoulder), driving on the grass at a rest stop on the Thruway, tailgating. driving in between lanes, speeding, excessive horn blowing, it sounds like they only came forward after the fact. If some of the drivers on 17 or 87 did report her I feel a little better.

By the time the car was on the Taconic (or on the exit ramp) yes I agree it was way too late.

[abaduck 123]

I can appriciate tommyguys opinion, and he is right we all need to act when we see these type of things. These situations always make me think when I am at work and my wife and children are out on the road.... But Dan is right.... I have called 911 many times for eratic drivers... people argueing with children in the car, eratic driving with children in the car... and not once have I ever had an officer get there in time.....

Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. Back when I lived in England, I found myself following a clearly drunk driver. Called it in... fifteen minutes later a cop called me back. Yes, he was drunk as a skunk, he's going to jail, thanks for calling him in. Score one to the good guys.

[helicopper 1,050]

That seems to be a recurring comment on the paper comments and such...Yes, people called in an erratic vehicle that fit the description - but WHY wasnt it stopped!?

Those with any sort of law enforcement background know just how many of these complaints are called in dailey, and how hard it is to locate them...cops stretched too thin, tied up on other calls, manpower shortages, wrong place, right time...whatever the reason, many, many times it is difficult at best to locate each "BOLO".....

And yet politicians are talking about cutting police departments, even going so far as to lay officers off. Of course we can't be everywhere but you'd think we'd be able to stop one red minivan somewhere between Sullivan and Westchester Counties if we were staffed properly!

[pasobuff 38]

A few years back I witnessed a driver on Rt 129/Underhill Ave driving erratically...slow speed, faster speed, all over the road (both lanes) etc.......I hung back but the person behind me decided to pass...thankfully safely. Now, this was before everyone had cell phones, so all I could do was watch and wait - and hope he didn't hit anyone else.....well, after topping a small hill straddling the yellow lines (just East of Underhill if you know the area).....he finally swerved a little too much and hit the guard rail. The repair shop up the road heard and called 911.....I stopped to check on the driver, who could barely stand, he was so STONED! Thankfully in this case no one was hurt, and the cops took him away in handcuffs....his nice shiny Mustang wasn't so perfect any more either.....

As for the TSP case.....my heart goes out to the little boy who survived.....and to the families of the other innocent victims.