Big accident in NY on highway in July

bluebear wrote: Did anybody hear about that deadly accident in NY that happened in the end of July? It's still being investigated, and big magazines such as People magazine have covered the story. The driver was stoned and drunk coming back from camping with her 2 children and her neices on board, killing everybody but the son. I can't find a good link of explaining it all so the Wikipedia page will have to do. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diane_Schuler

youngmomofone replied: Yeah, I heard about it when it first happened but haven't heard anything else since.

momofone replied: Yes I hear it on the news alot they say it was unlike her to do those things.

mom21kid2dogs replied: I saw a pretty extensive piece on it one morning on the Today show including a brief statement from the niece's parents. Apparently, the woman was a very accomplished addict. No one in her family seemed to know at all. The whole thing made me sick to my stomach for all involved.

amymom replied: I have very strong feelings about this accident. I use to drive that road every day and now do many times per year. I think that she wanted to die, why she took the kids with her, I do not know. I think the alcohol she cosumed at the last minute was for courage to do the unthinkable.

For local stories:

Newspaper

then you could probably search for Taconic accident.

cameragirl21 replied: yes, I heard and read all about it and I thought it was beyond terrible, no words can describe. So many innocent people dead for one person's misdeeds...one person who really should have known better.
Very sad story, to say the least.

coasterqueen replied: Wow, this is just horrible.

bluebear replied:

I was actually on the Taconic that day when it happened, and around the time. it did start to rain, but I saw at least two ambulences when I was going to and from where I had to be, and I thought to myself "somebody probably lost control of the car." I just can't believe earlier that day the SAME THING happened but there were only minor injuries.
Yesterday I passed by the spots where it happened. The burn mark has gotten smaller on the grass and there are some flowers scattered. I saw the tire marks from where she was going the wrong way and even took a picture of it.
The boy was notified last week that his mother, sister, and cousins died. it's a shame. the biggest part I don't get is that she left her phone on the side of a bridge, that part loses me


The newspaper online did have a huge section for the accident, but I dind't know which article to post. Thanks amymom

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009907260372

My2Beauties replied: Oh wow I hadn't heard of this until now, so many lives lost how tragic

amymom replied:
In my opinion, she decided at that moment to take her life and didn't want anyone talking her out of it, or giving herself an out. She then guzzled, maybe smoked and off she went.

Sad, sad, sad.

The lesson to be learned here is to tell our kids , that 911 is always available to them, and also to teach our kids (6 or so & older) that when they are frightned they have total and complete permission to do whatever it takes to get out of the situation. Even if they are with another trusted adult. If (and that is a big IF, since we will never know what happened in that van) the nine year old, sensed that something was wrong with her aunt, there are things she could have done if she felt she had power. We have since instructed our daughter that the easiest way to stop a moving car when she feels unsafe with the driver is to tell them, please stop I am going to be sick. Most people don't want puke in the car. Then ask to call us and that she has permision to call 911 if she feels it necessary.

Sorry to go on, like I said I have very strong feelings about this.

bluebear replied:
I know what you're saying, but I don't see anywhere in the articles where it says she stopped on the Tappanzee and left her phone. Did she throw it out the window?

This story is just another reason why I don't like driving on highways and driving at night. The latest I've driven is 7pm and I've been on the Taconic no more than 10 times, just for short distances. I can't even count how many reckless accidents there have been for just this summer alone

amymom replied:
According to something I read, early on in this before the toxicology was back, she had stopped and spoke to her brother. He said she was just over the bridge when he spoke with her and his 9 yr old dd. He said (as I recall it) that she said she didn't feel well and he told her that he would come get her, that she should wait there. I thought that this convo was probably different and she got mad, sad, depressed .... something and put the phone down, chugged and off she went.

As far as I know the phone was found a day or two later, intact and not damaged at all. So probably not thrown out a window, but deliberately left or maybe dropped by accident.

jcc64 replied: This is a pretty local story--I travel the Taconic pretty regularly. Still can't wrap my head around the whole thing. Big chunks of the puzzle are missing for me. So, so sad and senseless.