Disclaimer: The article contains mentions of death. Reader discretion is advised.
While driving back from a camping trip in July 2009, Diane Schuler crashed her minivan into a sports utility vehicle. Reports indicate that Schuler drove in the wrong direction for nearly two miles before crashing her car into another vehicle. When authorities arrived at the scene, they discovered that Schuler was accompanied by her two children and three nieces. The tragic accident has been covered extensively in the HBO documentary There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane.
According to The New York Times, Diane Schuler spent the day with her family before heading home. However, as they were returning from the camping site, she began driving her minivan in the opposite direction on the Taconic Parkway in Westchester County. Moreover, she lost control of the minivan and crashed it into an SUV. The accident killed eight people, including one of Schuler’s children and three nieces.
The New York Times also reported that Schuler’s second child, Bryan, was the only person who survived the crash. After the accident, authorities sent Diane Schuler’s body for autopsy and found a high blood-alcohol level. Investigators also examined her phone to find out who she called right before the crash. The case, which garnered a lot of attention, was considered one of the worst accidents in Westchester’s history.
Did the police file any criminal charges against Diane Schuler?
After announcing the autopsy results, police announced that they won’t be filing any criminal charges in the case. Authorities noted that she had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19 percent. Referencing the toxicology report, The New York Times mentioned that Schuler had nearly six grams of alcohol in her body. The medical report also indicated that the examiner discovered marijuana-related chemicals in her body. Subsequently, the assessment also suggested that Schuler’s body consisted of 113 nanograms per milliliter of tetrahydrocannabinol.
After examining the autopsy results, police concluded that Diane Schuler was the only person who could have been criminally charged in the case. Citing the police, The New York Times mentioned, “Diane Schuler, as you know, died in the crash, and the charges died with her.”
Did Schuler face problems while driving the minivan?
One of the crucial observations in the toxicology reports was how the doctors found alcohol in her brain and urine. Experts revealed that such a high level of alcohol in one’s system would have made things difficult for her. The expert noted, “She would have had difficulty with her perception, with her judgment, with her memory. Around that level of alcohol, you also start to get what’s called tunnel vision, where your perception is changed so you can’t see peripherally all the time.”
Diane Schuler’s husband, Daniel, hired a private investigator to examine the results of the toxicology report. According to NBC New York, the private investigators claimed that the report didn’t mention that Schuler showed any signs of cirrhosis. This meant Schuler was not a habitual drinker. Her family and friends also asserted that Schuler never had a history of substance abuse.
However, the comments made to the public displeased the victims’ families. The attorney for two of the men killed in the accident noted that the comments made by Schuler’s family are “painful to my clients.” The lawyer said, “The lengths these people are taking to deny reality are just astounding and painful to my clients.”
There’s Something Wrong With Aunt Diane is currently available to stream on HBO Max.
