Documentary examines the story of woman who left Sullivan County campground and drove to tragedy.
SULLIVAN COUNTY, NY (July 23, 2011) – Two years ago, Diane Schuler left the Hunter Lake Campground in Parksville, NY and set off for Long Island. With her were five young children: her son, her daughter and three nieces. Four hours later, she drove the wrong way on the Taconic State Parkway for nearly two miles – eventually crashing into an oncoming SUV, killing herself and seven others.
One of the worst motor-vehicle accidents in New York State history, the tragedy quickly became national news and her actions on that day, and in the past, were thrust under a microscope in a desperate search for answers.
In the aftermath, Diane Schuler was portrayed as a reckless drunk and a mother who cracked. But was she the monster the public made her out to be? Or the perfect wife and mother described by so many who knew her?
Filmmaker Liz Garbus (the Oscar®-nominated “The Farm: Angola, USA”; HBOʼs “Bobby Fischer Against the World”) explores this puzzling tragedy through interviews with never-before-heard witnesses and with Dianeʼs friends, as well as chronicling what transpired minute-by-minute, when “There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane” debuts on Monday, July 25 at 9:00 p.m. on HBO.
Other HBO playdates: July 28 (9:30 a.m.) and 30 (3:45 p.m.), and Aug. 2 (4:00 p.m., 12:30 a.m.), 5 (12:45 p.m.) and 7 (2:00 p.m.)
Nine days after her deadly crash, Dianeʼs toxicology report revealed she had a blood-alcohol content of .19% – the equivalent of ten drinks and more than twice the legal limit – as well as a high blood level of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana. In sharp contrast to the toxicology report, Schuler had no known history of substance abuse or psychological problems and was generally known as a loving and stable wife and mother.
Nearly two years after the accident, “There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane” reveals previously unknown information about that day and sheds light on the unknown side of Diane.
In addition to exclusive interviews with family and friends – including Dianeʼs childhood friends, a co-worker and husband Danielʼs parents, who have never spoken out before – eyewitnesses, first responders, investigators and medical and psychiatric experts, the documentary draws on surveillance footage, family photos, news clips and expert testimony to explore events surrounding the crash. Piecing together that fateful day with a minute-by-minute retelling, the film seeks to understand how things could have gone so terribly wrong.
The need to make sense of a mysterious and shattering tragedy such as this is a natural impulse, which in many cases can never be fully fulfilled. “There’s Something Wrong with Aunt Diane” reveals a complex and complicated case – as opposed to one solved by simple or reductive analysis – that has left all those involved still wondering what really happened to Aunt Diane.
You can check out the documentary trailer below:
The Catskill Chronicle 
No mystery here. She had a hangover from drinking and camping all weekend. Stopped to get some Tylenol and when they didn’t have any, she went hair of the dog and guzzled a ton of vodka to deal with 4 screaming kids for 140 miles. Then at the rest stop she smoked some weed after drinking hard liquor which will cause a blackout in a heartbeat. Her natural instinct of being a pushy driver kicked in and she started honking and driving erratically. Not her first time either. That is why she didn’t wait on the side of the road after speaking with her brother, she didn’t want her secrect to come out.
The husband denies any of this because he doesn’t want to get sued, which would definitely happen if he admitted to knowing she was an addict.
Crucifying this woman, her husband and family will not change anything anymore. It
is a horrific tragedy, and has left so many people who must still feel a tremendous
loss and will for many years. Seeing websites like “Burn in Hell” is beyond belief. Who does stuff like this? Who in this world would be ignorant enough to take a tragedy and turn it into headlining that site? Maybe those of you who feel like they
have the right to want to condemn this woman to hell better make sure you’re not on
the way there yourselves.
We know the actual killer was the tooth. We know that alcohol was used to numb the tooth pain, laying alcohol on the tooth, letting it soak to the nerve numbs the pain, has to pass the blood to get there. If she wasn’t an alcohol drinker, then she would not have drank it, but spit it out. Question: how much alcohol was found in her stomach?
I believe the family that she wasn’t drinking or smoking. Did anyone think of doing a maternity test with the blood they found the alcohol in to see if it was actually hers? Maybe it was mixed up in the lab & the blood with the high alcohol level was the other drivers?
Do you really think they did only one blood test? It almost sounds like you are blaming the victims. This woman drove the wrong way for nearly two miles and killed seven people beside herself. Some people live secret lives that their family know nothing about.