On July 26, 2009, a mother with five children was traveling in a minibus on State Parkway in New York. What began as a normal family outing ended moments later in one of the worst traffic disasters in the state’s history. Eight people, including four children, perished.
But it quickly becomes clear that this was no ordinary accident. The driver, Diane Schuler, had previously driven almost 3 km in the wrong direction, going the wrong way. What would drive a seemingly loving mother to take such a risk? And what really happened in the hours before the accident? I’m currently on my way back from Spain to Germany, but unfortunately, I can’t read well while driving.
“As a driver, you shouldn’t do that, and as a passenger, I always get carsick.” That’s where Bookbeat comes in, because there I can read without actually reading. And time flies by, because Bookbeat now has more than a million books, and there’s always something good to find. “I always download the audiobooks too, then I can put my phone in airplane mode, I’m not bothered by messages, emails, or anything like that, and of course, I save data.”
And every time I introduce you to Bookbeat, I have a book recommendation for you. Today I’d like to recommend something different. I love the fantasy genre and I’ve just finished reading “Magic and Milk Coffee” by Travis Baldree. The book is about Viv, a warrior who has already experienced many adventures. Too many, in fact, because she wants to stop and lead a modest, relaxed life.
That’s why she opens a café in a small town. But unfortunately, she finds no peace. The book is incredibly relaxing and funny. I highly recommend it, but if the book doesn’t appeal to you, you can also simply browse through the different genres on Bookbeat, search for a specific title, or get a recommendation.
“And with the promo code Insolito, you can try Bookbeat free for two months and listen to as many audiobooks as you like.” The selection is truly huge. You can also find the link in the info box. Just click and start listening. Now, on to today’s video. Diane Hance was born on November 13, 1972, in New York.
She grew up with three brothers in a Catholic family in the town of Floral Park in Nassau County. Her childhood was initially unremarkable until a devastating tragedy struck when she was nine years old. Without warning, her mother left the family and never returned. Diane had to grow up fast, taking on responsibility and caring for her brothers.
She rarely speaks about her mother later in life, and the pain runs deep. As an adult, Diane works successfully as an accountant at Cablevision. She is organized, athletic, and engaged in her community. In her free time, she teaches at a Sunday school. Then she meets Daniel Schuler. The two quickly fall in love and marry.
She took his last name and gave birth to two children in the following years: first a boy named Bryan, then a daughter named Erin. Acquaintances and friends describe Diane as a strong woman who had everything under control. She was loving, caring, and organized, and nothing was more important to her than her family. Diane also had a close relationship with her brother Warren Hance’s children: Emma, Alyson, and Kate.
The families spend a lot of time together. Diane often picks up her nieces and takes them on outings. On the weekend of July 25, 2009, the Schulers, along with Warren’s daughters, set off for the Hunter Lake Campground near Parksville. It’s a weekend trip they’ve taken many times before. The family camps, goes boating, and enjoys spending time together.
On Sunday morning, July 26th, they prepared for their return journey. Daniel Schuler got up early, loaded the boat, packed the car, and said goodbye to Diane. Since not everyone could fit in one car, they traveled separately. Diane took the Ford minivan with the five children. Daniel took the luggage.
Shortly before 9:30 a.m., the campground owner saw Diane waving goodbye. She later testified that the children were cheerful and that Diane also seemed carefree. Around 10:00 a.m., Diane stopped with the children at McDonald’s in Liberty, New York. She ordered breakfast, and the children then played in the playground.
Staff later recalled her as a calm, friendly woman who seemed completely sober and normal. At 10:46 a.m., Diane stopped at a gas station. Surveillance camera footage shows her entering the store, looking around, and speaking with an employee. She didn’t buy anything. Some sources later stated that she wanted to buy over-the-counter painkillers, but they were out of stock.
Why she needed them remains unclear. At 11:30 a.m., Diane speaks on the phone with her sister-in-law, Jackie Hance, the mother of her three nieces. She reports heavy traffic but says everything is fine. Jackie hears the children in the background and isn’t worried. Little does she know that she will never see her children again.
Around noon, several drivers noticed a suspicious vehicle on Interstate 87. They reported a red minivan driving erratically and abruptly changing lanes. It was Diane Schuler’s car. Ten minutes later, Diane passed through a toll plaza. Immediately afterward, her behavior was again suspicious.
A couple driving behind her later described how Diane tailgated, honked her horn, and was clearly pushing hard, even though traffic was slow. They felt Diane seemed irritable and rushed. Shortly afterward, she suddenly pulled into a rest area. The couple followed her. The man wanted to confront her about her dangerous behavior.
“But before they get out, the woman watches as Diane leans out of the car, clutches her stomach, coughs, and vomits.” Before they can reach her, Diane has already gotten back in and driven off. At 1 p.m., Diane calls her brother, Warren Hance, the father of the three girls traveling with her.
He immediately notices something is wrong. She mistakenly calls him Danny, her husband’s name. She seems confused. Warren asks her to pull over or take an exit. He’s about to head out and find her. But the call suddenly cuts off. Just a minute later, his cell phone rings again.
This time it’s eight-year-old Emma, Warren’s eldest daughter. “She says something’s wrong with Aunt Diane.” Warren asks if she can see a sign or any indication of the location. Emma names Tarrytown. Jackie asks to speak with Diane. Emma hands over the phone. Jackie demands that Diane get off the highway immediately.
Warren is on his way to pick her up. A short time later, Diane’s cell phone is found undamaged on a guardrail by the roadside near the Tappan Zee Bridge. There was much speculation about its meaning afterward. Since the phone was undamaged, it is assumed that Diane deliberately placed it there rather than throwing it out of the window.
Perhaps she saw it as a symbolic act. At 1:30 p.m., a couple reported a vehicle speeding onto the wrong on-ramp. Diane drove against the flow of traffic onto the wrong on-ramp, which was clearly marked as a one-way street. From that moment on, Diane drove the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway.
In the next few minutes, several emergency calls come into the police. Motorists report the red minivan speeding towards them in the passing lane. Several people report that the woman makes no attempt to swerve. She simply drives straight ahead, as if unaware that she is driving on the wrong side of the road.
A couple manages to swerve out of the way at the last moment. Diane doesn’t even slow down. She drives almost 2.7 km at excessive speed, driving the wrong way in the passing lane. Then disaster strikes. On July 26, 2009, at approximately 1:35 p.m., Diane Schuler’s journey ended in tragedy. On Taconic State Parkway, she steers her red minivan head-on into a Chevrolet Trailblazer.
Inside were 81-year-old Michael Bastardi, his 49-year-old son Guy, and her 74-year-old friend Daniel Longo. The impact was devastating. The Trailblazer was thrown sideways and crashed into another car, a Chevrolet Tracker. Diane Schuler’s minivan flipped over, was catapulted across the median strip, and burst into flames.
The force of the impact was so great that almost all the occupants died instantly. Diane, her two-year-old daughter Erin, and two of her three nieces died at the scene. The third niece succumbed to her severe injuries a short time later in the hospital. None of the children were wearing seatbelts.
Only Diane’s five-year-old son, Bryan, survived, suffering serious injuries. He was ejected from the car in the crash and sustained multiple fractures and internal injuries, requiring him to remain in the hospital for several months. The three men in the other vehicle also died. In total, eight people lost their lives in the accident, including four children.
It is one of the worst traffic accidents in Westchester County history, surpassed only by a bus crash in 1934. Two men who witnessed the accident pulled the children from the burning vehicle. On the driver’s side, they found a broken bottle of Absolut vodka. News of the accident spread quickly, and the families were devastated.
Warren and Jackie Hance, the parents of the three murdered girls, lost their entire family that day. In his eulogy, Warren Hance struggles to find words to express his grief over the loss of his daughters. Daniel Schuler is also in shock. He loses his wife and daughter. And whether his son survives remains uncertain for a long time.
The Bastardi family has lost a father and son, as well as a close friend. They were on their way to a family gathering that day. Besides their grief, all the relatives are left with countless questions. How could a mother, considered caring and responsible, do such a thing? A comprehensive investigation therefore begins immediately after the tragedy.
The police investigated the accident scene, secured the vehicle, and ordered an autopsy for Diane. The toxicology report was soon available and delivered shocking results. Diane Schuler had a blood alcohol level of 1.9 per mille. Unabsorbed alcohol was found in her stomach. This meant that she must have consumed a large amount of alcohol shortly before the accident, roughly the equivalent of ten drinks.
Furthermore, a high level of THC was found in her blood. A German forensic pathologist, who later spoke publicly about the case, explained that such a high THC level could only be explained by active consumption shortly before the accident. Other experts also consider prior consumption possible. A medical cause for the loss of control was ruled out.
Neither a stroke, thrombosis, nor any other physical cause could be found. The only thing found in the car was the aforementioned half-full vodka bottle. The public reacted with disbelief. Diane’s friends, her family, and the media asked the same question: Why? How did this behavior fit with the image everyone had of Diane? Daniel Schuler didn’t believe the findings.
He requests a second toxicology report, hoping a mistake was made. He is convinced that Diane would never have driven drunk, especially not with five children in the car. Jackie Hance, the mother of the three girls who were killed, also expresses doubts. However, the second report confirms all the findings.
For many, the case is closed, but not for Daniel Schuler. He doesn’t believe that Diane had a secret drinking problem or that she deliberately caused the accident. He makes assumptions, hires a private investigator, and speaks openly about his doubts in interviews. He also presents his perspective in the HBO documentary “There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane,” and indeed, his theory gradually gains more and more traction.
Despite the clear toxicological findings, the exact cause of Diane’s behavior remains unclear. Diane Schuler is considered controlled, disciplined, and organized. Her friends describe her as a cheerful woman who had everything under control. Perhaps the most tragic theory about the accident is that Diane wanted to die and intentionally took her children and nieces with her.
But for many relatives, this picture doesn’t fit the woman they knew. Other clues point to a medical or psychological emergency. Her son Bryan later testified at the hospital: “Mom’s head hurt. She couldn’t see properly anymore.” Emma, her eight-year-old niece, had also said on the phone shortly before that Diane had a headache.
Weeks before the accident, Diane reportedly complained of jaw pain. Colleagues said she often clutched her lower jaw. The pain may have been so severe that she drank the vodka after being unable to get painkillers at the gas station. The autopsy revealed no underlying medical condition that could have caused the accident.
But it’s possible that Diane had a severe migraine or some kind of medical emergency that couldn’t be diagnosed later and that drove her to this behavior. There’s also evidence of regular marijuana use. Apparently, she occasionally used cannabis to help her sleep, according to a colleague. However, her close relatives knew nothing about it.
Despite all the investigations, many questions remain unanswered. The exact type of Diane’s found cell phone could no longer be determined. Likewise, the question remains as to why her brother didn’t immediately alert the police after his daughter’s disturbing phone call. The tragedy will not be without consequences.
In memory of their three deceased daughters, Jackie and Warren Hance founded the Hance Family Foundation. It is particularly dedicated to empowering young girls and fostering their self-confidence. A new law, Leandra’s Law, came into effect in New York in October 2009. It classifies driving under the influence of alcohol with children in the vehicle as a crime.
The media has reported on the case multiple times, and even an episode of the series “Law & Order” is based on the accident. Jackie Hance is writing a book about her grief. In 2011, she became a mother again, this time to a daughter. Bryan Schuler, the sole survivor of the accident, is recovering physically. He talks with his father about what he experienced, about his little sister, his cousins, and his mother, Diane.
And that brings us to the end of today’s video. A truly shocking accident. What do you think about this incident? How do you explain Diane’s behavior? Feel free to share your opinion in the comments. This also helps support this channel. If a video receives a lot of interaction shortly after being uploaded, it’s more likely to be suggested to people who aren’t yet subscribed to Insolito.
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Until then, bye everyone. So.
