HBO has a new documentary called "There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane" which focuses on the mother who drove 1.7 miles the wrong way on Taconic State Parkway in NY with 5 children (two of her children and three neices) in a red minivan on July 26, 2009. I faintly remember hearing about this on the news at the time, but the tragedy received a lot of news coverage. It was later found that the mother had high levels of marijuana and alcohol in her system. The fatalities included the driver, her daughter, her three neices and three men in the SUV she hit head on.

I had a chance to see the documentary on Demand last night and might I say I was quite disturbed afterwards. It took me nearly an hour to get to sleep. The documentary was well done, as with most of HBO's docs, but there were a lot of things that were discussed that seemed extremely errie to me.

1. The husband of the victim/driver, there's something not right about him. At first it seems like he sincerely wants to clear his wife's name stating that she was a loving wife and mother, never was a drinker, only on occasion and would never do anything intentionally to harm her children nor her nieces (3 daugthers of her brother). As the doc goes on, you will find that the husband has changed his story a few times. In spots where he previously claimed he was unaware of certain things, he later admits to. For instance, the empty bottle of Absolut Vodka found in the SUV..at first he says he had no knowledge of that, then later admits to packing it for when they went on the trip but had forgotten about it. The husband also went on public shows for interviews claiming to clear his wife's name as she was not an alcoholic or drug abuser...yet her sister-in-law (the hubby's, brother's sister) admits that Diane did use marijuana on a daily basis in order to "relax" for sleep. Now I've recently read that after this documentary first aired Monday this week that the husband is now suing the State of NY for not "keeping the roads safe" and his brother-in-law (the owner of the SUV that Diane borrowed for the trip). It just seems to me the husband is out to collect some money to profit off of his wife's death...which is truly sad.

2. The driver's (Diane) brother and his wife declined to be interviewed for the doc. In one way I can understand. They are trying to heal and probably each time they are asked questions it opens up new wounds as they revisit the past. In another token, I wonder if they know a bit more as far as who the driver REALLY was behind the scenes but want to keep it private.

3. The doc showed gas station footage of when Diane pulled in to pump gas, then went inside the convenience store appearing to look for over the counter pain meds. The clerk stated that she didn't seem drunk and appeared to be sober. But let's look closely here. There's no audio in the video so you have to go on what you see in the video. Maybe I'm over analyzing but it seemed to me that Diane looked to be in a state of a panic. She walks in looking side to side then straight ahead, turns as if she mentions something to the clerk then walks right out immediately. Why wouldn't she search the aisles and THEN ask the clerk about over the counter meds? Could it be that she knew the kids were in the van and wanted to get back to them in a hurry? It's possible but I just found the gas station footage to be strange. It didn't look as if she was acting normal to me.

4. Apparently before Diane entered the Taconic Parkway in the wrong direction, she pulled over a few times and made some calls to her brother...which the family says were strange, out of character calls where she seemed disoriented and her speech wasn't clear. Even her oldest neice called her father on her cell phone to say "there's something wrong with aunt Diane"...there were told to stay put as he was going to come find them...but Diane pulled off anyway and left her cell phone near the toll booth where she pulled over from. If Diane was in such pain, why did she continue to get back on the road?

5. So the general conclusion has been that Diane did not intentionally get drunk or high because that was out of character for her. But the facts show in toxicology report that they were both present in high levels in her system. My question is, when did she have time to smoke the marijuana? When did she drink all of this alcohol? If she seemed sober that morning (at the McDonalds and at the gas station) then when exactly did she consume the alcohol and why? Did she think that the alcohol would had soothed whatever pain she was having when she couldn't get any over the counter meds?

6. According to the witnesses on the road that encountered the van, they say that it appeared that the person behind the wheel was driving reckless, yet with preciseness. In other words, they said that she made quick, sharp lane changes and tailgated different vehicles. When the driver entered the Parkway ramp in the wrong direction, the witnesses said she drove all the way over to the right (the passing lane) driving at high speeds with NO lane changes. They said it was bizarre and unreal. The driver appeared to be looking ahead intensely and didn't even flinch when cars quickly struggled to get out of the way. Oh my gosh, I can only imagine the horror. Then we know what happened next.

To me, it's clear that she was sick, or unwell which was the reason for all the stops...but my confusion comes in from between the time her brother told her to stay put until he met her at the toll booth to the actual crash. What possessed her to veer off of her original route home to an out of the way Parkway heading in the wrong direction? Did she funtionally black out? It's almost as if she was in a trance. The sad part is the only person who knows what happened in between those confusing moments is her son who is the sole survivor, however, he's still young, so therefore I don't think he remembers much...or maybe he does and is not comfortable saying as yet. But for me, that is so scary. What would I do if I saw an oncoming car travelling head on in front of me? Would I panic? Would I veer off in any direction as quickly as possible?

What would you had done?

[Edited 7/28/11 6:41am]

Damn, I'ma have to check this out. Did everybody die?

What possessed her, was her drunken state. I have a feeling that she either poured the vodka in with the rest of what she brought from Mickey D's, (Vodka goes well with orange juice), or got an extra cup. As for her husband, he is a TOTAL ASS!! It is one thing to want to protect your wife, but to say that she would never do that sort of thing, is ridiculous,( You don't know, what a person is capable of.) While he might be able to get away with suing is brother-inlaw, his lawsuit against the state, might get laughed out of court, simply because of the evidence has already proven that his wife was high/drunk. I have yet to see it, I hope to soon.

[Edited 7/28/11 6:36am]

SCNDLS said:

Damn, I'ma have to check this out. Did everybody die?

No there was only one survivor, the driver's 5 year old son. I forgot to mention above also, the SUV that the driver hit head on killed three men too.

shorttrini said:

What possessed her, was her drunken state. I have a feeling that she either poured the vodka in with the rest of what she brought from Mickey D's, (Vodka goes well with orange juice), or got an extra cup. As for her husband, he is a TOTAL ASS!! It is one thing to want to protect your wife, but to say that she would never do that sort of thing, is ridiculous,( You don't know, what a person is capable of.) While he might be able to get away with suing is brother-inlaw, his lawsuit against the state, might get laughed out of court, simply because of the evidence has already proven that his wife was high/drunk. I have yet to see it, I hope to soon.

[Edited 7/28/11 6:36am]

You know I didn't even think about that. That could explain why she had the headache two or so hours later. But if she already had alcohol in her system by the time she got to the gas station, if they had the OTC meds, that would have made the already fragile situation even worse.

shorttrini said:

What possessed her, was her drunken state. I have a feeling that she either poured the vodka in with the rest of what she brought from Mickey D's, (Vodka goes well with orange juice), or got an extra cup. As for her husband, he is a TOTAL ASS!! It is one thing to want to protect your wife, but to say that she would never do that sort of thing, is ridiculous,( You don't know, what a person is capable of.) While he might be able to get away with suing is brother-inlaw, his lawsuit against the state, might get laughed out of court, simply because of the evidence has already proven that his wife was high/drunk. I have yet to see it, I hope to soon.

[Edited 7/28/11 6:36am]

That's what I was saying too, you can never really KNOW some one 100%. You never know what they could be hiding when they are all by themselves. And people who tend to project this "perfect" family life type image are usually the ones with the most skeletons to hide in their closet. Just sayin'.

missfee said:

shorttrini said:

What possessed her, was her drunken state. I have a feeling that she either poured the vodka in with the rest of what she brought from Mickey D's, (Vodka goes well with orange juice), or got an extra cup. As for her husband, he is a TOTAL ASS!! It is one thing to want to protect your wife, but to say that she would never do that sort of thing, is ridiculous,( You don't know, what a person is capable of.) While he might be able to get away with suing is brother-inlaw, his lawsuit against the state, might get laughed out of court, simply because of the evidence has already proven that his wife was high/drunk. I have yet to see it, I hope to soon.

[Edited 7/28/11 6:36am]

You know I didn't even think about that. That could explain why she had the headache two or so hours later. But if she already had alcohol in her system by the time she got to the gas station, if they had the OTC meds, that would have made the already fragile situation even worse.

Yes, it could have. By placing the contents of the bottle in that cup, you keep the kids from knowing your habit. They just thought that, Auntie was drinking orange juice. As for the over the counter meds, so react differently to the type of alchol that is ingested. Some take it's time, while some react slower. Either way, it is a damn shame.

shorttrini said:

missfee said:

You know I didn't even think about that. That could explain why she had the headache two or so hours later. But if she already had alcohol in her system by the time she got to the gas station, if they had the OTC meds, that would have made the already fragile situation even worse.

Yes, it could have. By placing the contents of the bottle in that cup, you keep the kids from knowing your habit. They just thought that, Auntie was drinking orange juice. As for the over the counter meds, so react differently to the type of alchol that is ingested. Some take it's time, while some react slower. Either way, it is a damn shame.

I read on Wiki that she was a diabetic as well.

It's sh*t like this that scares me into not getting behind the wheel even after 1 beer.

The other night ( x 1,000 ) I drove home after 1 drink and 1 hit a few hours earlier. I thought I was fine. Then, as I'm nearing the house, I get sleepier and sleepier. Needless to say, I opened my eyes after a few minutes and I was parked in front of the house, with no recollection of actually having parked the car.

n.e.v.e.r. a.g.a.i.n.

That was after 1 f*cking drink (maybe the hit me hard) but I can't imagine folks getting all high and drinking VODKA and getting behind the wheel!!!

PurpleJedi said:

It's sh*t like this that scares me into not getting behind the wheel even after 1 beer.

The other night ( x 1,000 ) I drove home after 1 drink and 1 hit a few hours earlier. I thought I was fine. Then, as I'm nearing the house, I get sleepier and sleepier. Needless to say, I opened my eyes after a few minutes and I was parked in front of the house, with no recollection of actually having parked the car.

n.e.v.e.r. a.g.a.i.n.

That was after 1 f*cking drink (maybe the hit me hard) but I can't imagine folks getting all high and drinking VODKA and getting behind the wheel!!!

missfee said:

PurpleJedi said:

It's sh*t like this that scares me into not getting behind the wheel even after 1 beer.

The other night ( x 1,000 ) I drove home after 1 drink and 1 hit a few hours earlier. I thought I was fine. Then, as I'm nearing the house, I get sleepier and sleepier. Needless to say, I opened my eyes after a few minutes and I was parked in front of the house, with no recollection of actually having parked the car.

n.e.v.e.r. a.g.a.i.n.

That was after 1 f*cking drink (maybe the hit me hard) but I can't imagine folks getting all high and drinking VODKA and getting behind the wheel!!!

I know...I know...and I'm the first one pointing fingers at irresponsible drivers!

Honestly, I thought that I hadn't had "enough" to impair me. But I guess NO ONE ever does, right?

I told my friend (who I was supposed to crash with that night, before he and his girlfriend had a fight that made me an uncomfortable third wheel) that next time we go out like that, no matter WHAT shit happens, I'm spending the night.

PurpleJedi said:

missfee said:

I know...I know...and I'm the first one pointing fingers at irresponsible drivers!

Honestly, I thought that I hadn't had "enough" to impair me. But I guess NO ONE ever does, right?

I told my friend (who I was supposed to crash with that night, before he and his girlfriend had a fight that made me an uncomfortable third wheel) that next time we go out like that, no matter WHAT shit happens, I'm spending the night.

Yes you should. It's always better to put up the mental STOP SIGN in situations like that. I'm just glad that you didn't get hurt or hurt anyone else....and learned your lesson. I just wished that the driver above would had stayed on the side of the road and waited for help, rather than get back in the vehicle and caused a tragedy.

They did actually show the driver's dead body after it was pulled from the wreck. I think that's why I couldn't get to sleep after watching the whole thing. I could've done without that image. So errie.

[Edited 7/28/11 9:02am]

I'm watching it right now, and I'm getting really depressed over it. I'm with you about all those things not adding up. It's eerie and tragic, and one of those things that makes you really sit back and think. I need to re-watch some parts, though. I vaguely remember hearing about this accident and I think the family is still in some state of disbellief over the toxicology reports. Who knows, though....mistakes might be made. I doubt that, however. I know this--it's one gripping documentary. I feel like I'm living in the moments...and maybe that's why I'm feeling so blue over it. I'm picking up on everyone's pain, everyone trying to find out why, etc...

LadyLuvSexxy said:

I'm watching it right now, and I'm getting really depressed over it. I'm with you about all those things not adding up. It's eerie and tragic, and one of those things that makes you really sit back and think. I need to re-watch some parts, though. I vaguely remember hearing about this accident and I think the family is still in some state of disbellief over the toxicology reports. Who knows, though....mistakes might be made. I doubt that, however. I know this--it's one gripping documentary. I feel like I'm living in the moments...and maybe that's why I'm feeling so blue over it. I'm picking up on everyone's pain, everyone trying to find out why, etc...

I know right. My gut instinct is telling me that she was more than just an "occasional" drinker. I'm not buying this "she only smoked marijuana occasionally and wasn't a drinker...only on occasion" type deal. If they honestly don't know her to be heavy on those things then the only explanation there is that she was doing it in secret where no one knew but her. They said her husband worked the night shift right? An idle mind is a dangerous one. Besides they said she never dealt with the fact that her mother left her family when she was young. How much you want to bet that that was the TRUE reason for the drugs and drinking behind closed doors?

missfee said:

shorttrini said:

Yes, it could have. By placing the contents of the bottle in that cup, you keep the kids from knowing your habit. They just thought that, Auntie was drinking orange juice. As for the over the counter meds, so react differently to the type of alchol that is ingested. Some take it's time, while some react slower. Either way, it is a damn shame.

I read on Wiki that she was a diabetic as well.

Then, she really didn't give a shit.

Hershe said:

Because she was too bothered/chickenshit to get her teeth fixed - having walked out of the middle of at least one dentist's appt - she buzzed and boozed until she killed people!?

I know right. It was amazing how NO ONE knew about this or her dental problems until after the fact. Like did y'all walk through the house and not talk to each other? She's rubbing her jaw because she's in pain, you don't think to ask what is wrong? C'mon now.

The more and more I keep thinking about it, the husband seemed like the type that as long as she did all the work he didn't really care about details. So if you didn't even know she had a root canal or walked out the dentist office in the middle of a visit, HOW IN THE HELL would you know if she was an alcoholic and a chronic weed smoker?

Another thing that doesn't make sense, in the documentary, the family..well the husband and sister-in-law hired this private investigator to supposedly send samples to another lab for a 2nd opinion on the toxicology reports. The husband and sister-in-law were claiming that they kept giving the investigator all this money that he had asked but they didn't see any results. It was like he just took the money and ran.

Well....

We later find out that the PI really did do his job and that he had been trying to contact the family and the lawyer, etc. but they weren't answering or returning his phone calls.

The sad part is, this shit will keep happening again and again, because mfers don't get it. A car becomes a two-ton bullet in the hands of a drunk/high driver. If it was up to me, I'd give them life in prison, that's right, I said it. I'm sick and tired of seeing whole families devastated because of some drunk fucktard. We need to get serious and increase the penalities for this shit. Lock 'em up and throw away the key.

uPtoWnNY said:

The sad part is, this shit will keep happening again and again, because mfers don't get it. A car becomes a two-ton bullet in the hands of a drunk/high driver. If it was up to me, I'd give them life in prison, that's right, I said it. I'm sick and tired of seeing whole families devastated because of some drunk fucktard. We need to get serious and increase the penalities for this shit. Lock 'em up and throw away the key.

You mean if they survive right? Because don't most drunk drivers end up dead themselves after tragic accidents?

missfee said:

uPtoWnNY said:

The sad part is, this shit will keep happening again and again, because mfers don't get it. A car becomes a two-ton bullet in the hands of a drunk/high driver. If it was up to me, I'd give them life in prison, that's right, I said it. I'm sick and tired of seeing whole families devastated because of some drunk fucktard. We need to get serious and increase the penalities for this shit. Lock 'em up and throw away the key.

You mean if they survive right? Because don't most drunk drivers end up dead themselves after tragic accidents?

Here it seems like more often than not the drunk muhhfucka walks away from the accident

one of the victims of the accident's estate is being sued for contributory negligence...i.e....she hit his car, killed three people, and he's being sued because he contributed to her death. god help negligence attorneys.

SCNDLS said:

missfee said:

You mean if they survive right? Because don't most drunk drivers end up dead themselves after tragic accidents?

Here it seems like more often than not the drunk muhhfucka walks away from the accident

BlackAdder7 said:

one of the victims of the accident's estate is being sued for contributory negligence...i.e....she hit his car, killed three people, and he's being sued because he contributed to her death. god help negligence attorneys.

Yeah I read that. I think the husband is actually suing is brother in law (the driver's brother) for negligence because the van she was driving was his and he lent them the vehicle. Wow that makes so much sense to sue the person whose vehicle YOU borrowed for the weekend in which your wife chose to make careless decisions and cause a tragic accident. I think the driver's brother and his wife are suing the driver's estate for "negligence and carelessness" as well. Lawsuits flying left and right.

missfee said:

LadyLuvSexxy said:

I'm watching it right now, and I'm getting really depressed over it. I'm with you about all those things not adding up. It's eerie and tragic, and one of those things that makes you really sit back and think. I need to re-watch some parts, though. I vaguely remember hearing about this accident and I think the family is still in some state of disbellief over the toxicology reports. Who knows, though....mistakes might be made. I doubt that, however. I know this--it's one gripping documentary. I feel like I'm living in the moments...and maybe that's why I'm feeling so blue over it. I'm picking up on everyone's pain, everyone trying to find out why, etc...

I know right. My gut instinct is telling me that she was more than just an "occasional" drinker. I'm not buying this "she only smoked marijuana occasionally and wasn't a drinker...only on occasion" type deal. If they honestly don't know her to be heavy on those things then the only explanation there is that she was doing it in secret where no one knew but her. They said her husband worked the night shift right? An idle mind is a dangerous one. Besides they said she never dealt with the fact that her mother left her family when she was young. How much you want to bet that that was the TRUE reason for the drugs and drinking behind closed doors?

This family either didn't know because she was so good at hiding it, or are trying to perpetuate her image. It's all fallen apart anyway. As soon as they brought up tunnel vision, that was a done deal for me. TUNNEL VISION on an open road! And then, those tooth issues can become very serious. People don't realize how much an abcess can really do to you if it's not taken care of. Boozing up and toking will not fix it. Now, when they showed that picture of her, I froze. I felt sick, but I could not move. My eyes were literally on the screen and I was glued to my chair. When that older gentleman said he cried on top of the hill, that's when I lost it.

What bothers me so much about this is her issues with her mother and her desires for perfectionism. The fact that her siblings forgave their mother and she could not also played a deep role in this. I guarantee you that drinking wasn't just to soothe the pains of her teeth. I believe that strive to be perfect with her clouded mind may have played a part in the delirium which cost so many people their lives.

I was also rooting for her husband until well...he started talking and I started to remember seeing him on Larry King. He is in deep, SELFISH denial and something about his eyes and body language give me a vibe that something isn't quite right within him. Almost like his agenda/priorities are all mixed up here. While I wouldn't go so far as to calling his wife some of the things I've read on other message boards, he has to accept the fact that this "perfect mother" had skeletons in her closet, and a medical issue which apperently severely plagued her. Why she couldn't get off the money and get over the pain is beyond me.

It reminds me of all the erratic drivers I've seen on the road in my life. Not knowing their stories, but wondering why they're on the road. Praying to GOD they don't do something to put the rest of us in danger. If only she'd pull over and stayed put. If only she'd kept that phone. Damn, I could go through a list of "if only" and maybe those other children would still be here....

LadyLuvSexxy said:

While I wouldn't go so far as to calling his wife some of the things I've read on other message boards,...

I would and I have. That shit is inexcusable. Can you imagine what is was like for those poor kids in their final moments? I'd go insane if that happened in my family.

If there is a Hell, I hope that woman is burning in it.

uPtoWnNY said:

LadyLuvSexxy said:

I would and I have. That shit is inexcusable. Can you imagine what is was like for those poor kids in their final moments? I'd go insane if that happened in my family.

If there is a Hell, I hope that woman is burning in it.

Oh my goodness, just thinking about it is making me tear up.

uPtoWnNY said:

LadyLuvSexxy said:

I would and I have. That shit is inexcusable. Can you imagine what is was like for those poor kids in their final moments? I'd go insane if that happened in my family.

If there is a Hell, I hope that woman is burning in it.

While I will agree with you about her actions, I would also place the majority of the blame on her husband. Despite his denial,(done to save face), he knew that she had a problem and because of that I would have HIM arrested for aiding and abetting a criminal. He should be fitted with gasoline drawers and given a first class ticket to the burning gates, just on general principle.

[Edited 7/29/11 5:12am]

LadyLuvSexxy said:

missfee said:

I know right. My gut instinct is telling me that she was more than just an "occasional" drinker. I'm not buying this "she only smoked marijuana occasionally and wasn't a drinker...only on occasion" type deal. If they honestly don't know her to be heavy on those things then the only explanation there is that she was doing it in secret where no one knew but her. They said her husband worked the night shift right? An idle mind is a dangerous one. Besides they said she never dealt with the fact that her mother left her family when she was young. How much you want to bet that that was the TRUE reason for the drugs and drinking behind closed doors?

This family either didn't know because she was so good at hiding it, or are trying to perpetuate her image. It's all fallen apart anyway. As soon as they brought up tunnel vision, that was a done deal for me. TUNNEL VISION on an open road! And then, those tooth issues can become very serious. People don't realize how much an abcess can really do to you if it's not taken care of. Boozing up and toking will not fix it. Now, when they showed that picture of her, I froze. I felt sick, but I could not move. My eyes were literally on the screen and I was glued to my chair. When that older gentleman said he cried on top of the hill, that's when I lost it.

What bothers me so much about this is her issues with her mother and her desires for perfectionism. The fact that her siblings forgave their mother and she could not also played a deep role in this. I guarantee you that drinking wasn't just to soothe the pains of her teeth. I believe that strive to be perfect with her clouded mind may have played a part in the delirium which cost so many people their lives.

I was also rooting for her husband until well...he started talking and I started to remember seeing him on Larry King. He is in deep, SELFISH denial and something about his eyes and body language give me a vibe that something isn't quite right within him. Almost like his agenda/priorities are all mixed up here. While I wouldn't go so far as to calling his wife some of the things I've read on other message boards, he has to accept the fact that this "perfect mother" had skeletons in her closet, and a medical issue which apperently severely plagued her. Why she couldn't get off the money and get over the pain is beyond me.

It reminds me of all the erratic drivers I've seen on the road in my life. Not knowing their stories, but wondering why they're on the road. Praying to GOD they don't do something to put the rest of us in danger. If only she'd pull over and stayed put. If only she'd kept that phone. Damn, I could go through a list of "if only" and maybe those other children would still be here....

It's awfully ironic how she couldn't forgive her mother for what she did and now she has gone and took those kids away from here and it seems her brother and his wife haven't quite forgiven HER for that...and understandably so. Seems to me she should had been in counseling or something, but according to the family and friends, judging her personality that was most likely out of the question. But like you said it's something really up with the husband in all of this. I was shocked that (at the time of filming the docu) that he hadn't even set up his son to talk to a therapist yet!!! Are you kidding???!!! It's like deep down he could care less but he's doing all this suing to get some money so he won't have to work. How much you want to bet he was probably out there running around while his "breadwinning", marijana smoking, alcoholic, workaholic wife was bending over backwards trying to maintain their "perfect" life. Did you hear near the end what his sister-in-law said? That he told her he "never wanted kids anyway, that was supposed to had been Diane's thing". Huh? I don't care how frustrated and how much in grief you are, how can you say something so harsh like that?

I still think they aren't paying attention to that gas station tape close enough, because in my eyes, she was acting peculiar when she walked in and then rushed back out.