Diane Schuler Was OK At Restaurant Before Taconic Crash: Police

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — Police investigating a head-on highway crash that killed a suburban mother and seven other people said Friday she was fine at a fast-food restaurant an hour after starting her drive, narrowing the timeline for when she may have begun a drinking binge.

State police are piecing together Diane Schuler's journey from an upstate campground, where she left in a minivan carrying five children, to a fiery collision with an SUV about four hours later after driving the wrong way for nearly two miles.

Schuler was sober when she left the camp at about 9:30 a.m. on July 26, but she had had more than 10 vodkas and was high on marijuana by the time she crashed on the Taconic State Parkway, just north of New York City, at 1:30 p.m., autopsy results found.

Schuler, 36, was killed along with her 2-year-old daughter, three nieces aged 5, 7 and 8 and three men in the SUV. Her 5-year-old son survived.

Her husband, Daniel Schuler, has said he noticed nothing suspicious when he and his wife left in separate vehicles from the campground that Sunday morning. He headed home to Long Island with the family dog, and she planned to stop at a McDonald's in Liberty, N.Y., not far from the campground.

State police said Friday that after interviewing employees at a McDonald's about 15 miles from the Hunter Lake campsite, "there was no indication of any illness or impairment during the time she was there."

Schuler left with her children in the minivan between 10:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., police said. The last time she was heard from was a cell phone call she made at 1:02 p.m., from a parking area south of the Tappan Zee Bridge, only a few miles from where the fatal collision took place, they said.

An investigator hired by Daniel Schuler's attorney has said that three other telephone calls were made earlier in the journey but has not revealed details of those calls. In the final phone call, Schuler's 8-year-old niece told her father that Schuler wasn't feeling well and had trouble seeing and speaking.

Daniel Schuler's attorney, Dominic Barbara, did not return several telephone calls seeking comment Friday.

Diane Schuler's autopsy found she had a blood alcohol level of 0.19 percent, more than twice the legal limit for driving, and a high level of the key ingredient in marijuana in her system when she crashed.

Daniel Schuler has disputed the autopsy's findings and said his wife wasn't a drinker. He and his attorney suggested this week that some other medical conditions may have contributed to the crash.

Several relatives reacted with shock to the revelation that the woman they said was a trustworthy, responsible mother and aunt would have been severely intoxicated.

Police said Wednesday that no criminal charges were planned, but relatives of the three Yonkers men killed in the SUV have questioned how Schuler's family could have been oblivious to an alcohol abuse problem and have consulted with Westchester County prosecutors.

A lawyer for relatives of two of the Yonkers men suggested charges might be possible against anyone who knew Schuler had been drinking before the crash. He said his clients also would explore a possible civil case.

Comments

[pjp1972]

Is it at all possible that something happened while at McDonalds? Like she was slipped something? What if there was vodka and...like­...bong water in her soda that she drank? Could that be a possibility?

[lisakaz2]

I doubt the autopsy is wrong. What motive is there for them to be so wildly off? And a vodka bottle in the car? Is it possible to tell if had been opened or not?

[rocketdog56]

according to the husband the vodka bottle was theirs and one that they transported back and forth between home and the camper, maybe they refilled it at home, brought to camp, brought any leftovers back home and so on, I think a picture will emerge that these two probably went camping every weekend sent the kids off to play and got pie-eyed on a regular basis. she may very well have still had some alcohol in her from the night before, and the next day at mickey d's had a few pick me ups.

[firstrax]

For a non-drinker 5 double martinis would put you on the floor. For a regular drinker it would be a good buzz.

[lisakaz2]

Yes, the tolerance issue makes it hard to say for sure how badly impaired this woman was. The niece's phone call suggests, though, that she was and shouldn't have been driving, regardless of the cause.

[PSM42]

STINKING FISH DEPARTMENT

Examples from history - Henri Paul - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Paul

Where was C h e n e y?

[hereinlou]

This story seems very strange to me.... and I am inclined to believe that the autopsy may be wrong. Mostly because I do believe that these tests are fallible sometimes. My daughter had a 'fail proof' medical test done once... and the doctor wanted to put her on serious medication. When I asked about the possibility that the test could have yielded a 'false positive'.­.. I was told absolutely not. I took my daughter to a specialist for a second opinion... and it turned out that I was correct. The original pediatrician's test had given a false positive. I would have subjected my daughter to heavy medication that she did not need, had I believed the 1st doctor's diagnosis. It just doesn't sound like this woman would've had this much time to drink/ smoke that much.

[lisakaz2]

There is no sign this woman had diabetes. Testing a dead body is more accurate, don't you think? Stomach contents are pretty hard to get wrong.

[paix]

This whole thing doesn't compute. A chronic drinker builds up a tolerance to the alcohol over time, so that it would take much more than twice the legal limit of alcohol to cause visible inebriation. To be totally sober at McDonalds and then be sloppy drunk less than two hours later is more consistent with a person who is not used to alcohol. Perhaps she was upset about something that happened before she left the campsite and utilized the vodka that was always in the car?
She was either very upset about something or she did have a drinking problem because who but a chronic drinker would ingest alcohol between 10 A.M. and Noon?

[redplanet]

There was a witness. What did he see? Have the police interviewed him?

[disabledjim]

sounds like she drank liberally.­and smoked pot liberally.­had a liberal view of her responsibilty to her family.she was not being conservitave with her actions.

[marianproletarian]

Lame.

[LiberalHick]

As far as alcoholism being a disease - I would certainly have to agree. Not because medical experts classify it as such, but because I've studied enough about neurobiology and neurochemistry to realize the profound effects of ingesting certain chemicals -including alcohol - they're mild poisons (hormones like testosterone also have extrememly powerful effects in both men and women). Much of what we think we do spontaneously - we actually do mechanically (meaning not with conscious awareness or insight) and that is due to our brain chemistry and "wiring." Alcoholics are responsible for their relapses, not their chemical addiction. They can learn to avoid triggers, and if they don't, they are acting irresponsibly and should be judged accordingly. Diane Schuler knew she had a problem and apparently chose to demonstrate it, rather than admit it.

[seattle music]

Judge and jury, but no need to be executioner, eh?

The job is done.

[westchesteriscorrupt]

The police need to:
1 - check the vodka bottle for her DNA.
2 - test the surviving boy for second hand drug exposure
3 - test the husband and brother for drug use
4 - check her, her husband and brothers credit card receipts for alcohol purchases
5 - check their trailer at the camp site for drugs and drug residue as well as alcohol
6 - question the brothers wife since her willingness to cover up will eventually stop
when her sadness turns to anger.
7 - test the shuler home for drugs and drug residue
8 - Stop by the liquor stores in the near the shulers home and camp site
9 - Ask the surviving boy if his mother and father drink. {I would not ask anything about
the accident}
10 - check all her old medical records for poor liver function to help prove alcohol abuse
11 - check the mcdonalds security cameras for behavior
12 - check security cameras at any tolls to determine when she started drinking
13 - Its a long shot but check the area where her phone was left for pot since this is where she
probably pulled over to smoke it. Again that is a long shot but you never know
14 - check any recorded conversations between the brother and the police as the conversation
may reveal something

[techjockey]

You don't get to a .19 blood alchol level without blacking out unless you are a serious drinker.

[emmeaki]

This isn't even including the undigested alcohol in her stomach.

[TopJack]

Don't forget the doobage.

[kel]

I think it's terrible her husband took the dog. She had all the children -
How on earth did she drink that much and get high? Without it being something people would see in her normally? It's terribly fishy and something led to her reason for drinking a serious domestic issue or she was truly married to a selfish man.

[PaceSetter]

The police issued a statement on Friday saying that State Police Investigators went to Long Island on August 6th for a pre-arranged interview of Daniel Schuler. They say that when they got there, were not granted an interview with Schuler, and his attorney Dominick Barbara could offer no useful information. Investigators say Barbara would not tell them when Schuler would be made available for an interview.

[lisakaz2]

On some level they gotta know. Sounda like c-y-a.

[disabledjim]

yes a selfish man forced her to drink and kill

[TopJack]

No, it was Ronald McDonald. And the carjacker. And the aliens. And the unborn baby smoking pot.

You need to keep up.

[leopoldmozart]

The "fishiness" of this death sounds more like a suicide plan to me. The drinking and pot was to reinforce her resolve to carry out her plan.

For many cultural reasons, Americans often like to take their families with them when they kill themselves. Especially if part of the delusion of their major depression is that the world is an awful place for anyone to live, etc. etc.

[cjtolmie]

family annihilators exist all over the world, not just the USA

[westchesteriscorrupt]

Who here thinks either the brother or husband made the drug runs and supplied the weed?
They should have been tested already!!!!! Long live the blue wall! I knew her husband or brother was a cop before the papers posted it due to the wording "She needs medical assistance" or is "having car trouble" and of course not announcing the vodka and pot in her system until after the funeral. You know if that was one of us, the news of the vodka bottle at the scene would have been on the news the same night!

[RainDance33]

Society will never conquer its alcohol problem because...­.....it is no longer anyone's fault.
It is a disease, or so we are told. Like cancer maybe.....­or parkinsons etc?
Or maybe not. Because the last I knew there was not much of a choice associated with these diseases. Yes smoking may heighten your risk, but many healthy people are struck down with dreadful diseases. I am sick of everything now being labeled a disease, to remove culpability and responsibility. Did I not hear of the 'anger disease' recently? So next time you smack your wife and kids round remember to tell the arresting office you had no choice....­your disease took over.

[zach4500]

Alcoholism is a disease. Like diabetes, it can and should be managed; and, like diabetes, it is up to the individual to take responsibility for the treatment and management of the disease.

Society will never conquer its alcohol problem because attitudes like yours place a stigma on the alcoholic and treat it as a character flaw with no physiological dynamic. Many alcoholics don't admit it because admission will be treated with disdain -- the kind of attitude you express in your post.

[RainDance33]

That's right it is a character flaw. And I should know....my father was an alcoholic. He made a decision to quit the drinking after years of seeing the damage it was doing to us as a family. He contacted the support agencies and made the decision..­..yes he made a 'choice' to stop drinking, and has been alcohol free for 14 years.

On the other hand my mother got cancer. All the 'choices' in the world didn't help her out, so get over your sanctimonious attitude would you.

[zach4500]

"
Alcoholism is a fatal family disease. Even the World Health Organization and the American Medical Association term it as an incurable illness of the mind, body and soul, a member informed. "

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/chandigarh/Alcoholism-a-fatal-family-disease/articleshow/4875172.cms

[LiberalHick]

The American Medical Association deems a disease to be an illness of the "soul"?? Where exactly IS this soul, doc?

[emmeaki]

I grew up with an alcoholic mother and even as a child, I didn't buy the "disease" theory. I'm not saying I'm right or wrong, but I just don't buy it.

[emmeaki]

What I mean is that considering it a disease takes the blame off the person. I don't think a person can truly recover if they don't even take the first step and admit that they are the ones who chose to drink. I can't help it if I get cancer tomorrow, but I can control weather or not I drink. As hard as it may be for some people to refrain from drinking, it's still a conscious choice. It's not like you're possessed by the devil and you have no physical control over your actions--although it may feel like it.

[seattle music]

The good news: when we're dead, we won't be able to read all the trash and filthy that total strangers post about us on the Internet.

The bad news: our families will not be spared the same.

Ugly much, y'all?

[bbmcrae]

Hopefully when we're dead, we won't have killed 7 other people along the way because of selfish and destructive behavior. But if we do, they may write some "filthy" about us, whatever that is.

[seattle music]

Alcoholism is a disease.

[KMan1]

Oh please, Diane Schuler is the last person in this horrible tragedy that anyone should feel an ounce of pity for. She murdered 7 people, cry for them.

[seattle music]

Did you happen to notice that my post pointed out that HER FAMILY can read and is being subjected to slander and libel from coast to coast by anonymous idgets on the Internet.

Read this thread. Her husband and family have been subjected to all kinds of libel for daring to say that they never saw her drunk.

There are alcoholics who are THAT GOOD at hiding their disease. Several experts have been interviewed about it and said so. Especially women, who are so much more stigmatized for being alcoholics.

But no, people are calling her husband a liar. Claiming that he's lying to avoid being sued or to "taint" a would-be jury pool, etc. Based on what? Nothing more than assumption and a mean-spirited need to malign the defenseless man who just lost his wife and kids.

Go on no, really let me have it. I'm not really a human being. I'm just words on the page. Or am I? Perhaps I'm a human being and so are the people in this story. Human beings who have every right to our compassion. ALL of them.

[nippyfan]

The parents of the three little ones. The nieces. I feel for them most. They lost three babies through no fault of their own. Just trusting them with their Aunt.

[LiberalHick]

Why is someone from Seattle saying "y'all"?