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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NY Wrong-Way Driver to Be Exhumed

Family hopes testing will prove Diane Schuler wasn't drunk

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(AP) – The body of Diane Schuler will exhumed in a bid by her family to disprove findings that the 36-year-old was drunk when she drove her minivan the wrong way on a New York freeway last month, causing a crash that killed eight people, said the family's lawyer on Larry King last night. Testing will focus on the theory that an abscess in Schuler’s mouth could have caused a stroke.

Attorney Dominic Barbara said the just-released autopsy report found no evidence of chronic alcoholism in Schuler's liver, pancreas, stomach or esophagus, and added it was possible that when her body was charred in the crash the sugar in her blood turned to alcohol. During the show, statements were read from representatives of the family of one of the men killed in the SUV; one said Daniel Schuler's refusal to accept that his wife was drunk is "appalling, offensive and hurtful."

Diane and Daniel Schuler with their children Bryan, 5, and Erin, 2, who were among the eight people killed on July 26, 2009, when Diane plowed into an SUV while driving the wrong way on a NY freeway.
Diane and Daniel Schuler with their children Bryan, 5, and Erin, 2, who were among the eight people killed on July 26, 2009, when Diane plowed into an SUV while driving the wrong way on a NY freeway.   (AP Photo/Floral Park Police Department)
Diane and Daniel Schuler on their wedding day. The body of Diane Schuler will be exhumed for testing in an attempt to counter findings that she was drunk, a family lawyer said Tuesday.
Diane and Daniel Schuler on their wedding day. The body of Diane Schuler will be exhumed for testing in an attempt to counter findings that she was drunk, a family lawyer said Tuesday.   (AP Photo/Schuler Family, File)
Daniel Schuler's eyes fill with tears during a press conference in Garden City, N.Y., Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.
Daniel Schuler's eyes fill with tears during a press conference in Garden City, N.Y., Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009.   (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
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The husband of a woman who was legally drunk when she caused a wrong-way crash fights to clear her name.   (CNN Video)

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12 comments
VIEWING:
 
gabo
Sep 2, 09 11:47 AM CDT
When this test comes back positive, will they quit? Reply
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+5
IN RESPONSE:
dontlikeyou
Sep 2, 09 3:48 PM CDT
The liberal attack machine? No, they don't care about facts.
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-4
IN RESPONSE:
Shannonals
Sep 5, 09 11:03 AM CDT
dontlikeyou how exactly is this the, "liberal", attack machine? Quite sure if your relatives were one of the individuals killed by this woman you would be singing another tune. The fact that the family lawyer is trying to tie the actions of the woman into a medical issue is sad.
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0
DJM420
Sep 2, 09 11:56 AM CDT
so was it the kids boozing it up in the van then? Reply
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+3
blusky09
Sep 2, 09 12:25 PM CDT
the schuler family needs to quit wasting money and time on getting the autopsy redone. SHE DROVE DRUNK, WAS HIGH and KILLED 8 PEOPLE! If her family wants closure how about accepting that Diane Schuler was good at deceiving her pussy whipped husband and hiding the fact that she DOES DRINK, (I'm not accusing her of being an alcholic) don't do it at the expense of the victim's families. Reply
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