BONUS - SMALL TOWN MURDER - THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH AUNT DIANE

The amount of laughing out loud I was able to do at all of your suffering was really delightful, thank you.

rebecca Deardorff

Haha my parents would sing “get over it” from the eagles haha

Healy Kropf

While I don't think Diane had a stroke (this reeks of high-functioning alcoholism), brains are weird and people who have brain bleeds, seizures and strokes have done insane stuff. Depending on the size or location of something, you can look normal, but you're actually dying, you just don't know it. In some people, persistent hiccups and scrambled language are the only signs. Others, they realize they can't tell where they end amd the wall that they are touching begins. Others, it's a headache and then lights out. So, while Diane wasn't having a brain problem (besides that it was practically pickled), they had to check because that wasn't an unrealistic possibility.

Smalls (smallenoughtofit)

Congrats on your sobriety and marriage!

magnoliasouth

Okay, I had to pause it where Jimmie mentioned that functional alcoholisOkay, I had to pause it where Jimmie mentioned that functional alcoholism does look normal. I was for 10 years. The only one who knew was my fiancé at the time. Your body can only be your actor for so long. In your mind, your body betrays you. I did have something happen that changed everything. Thankfully, it wasn't something horrific like this. Just FYI, I have 7 1/2 years of sobriety from booze (I need my weed). I also married that fiancé. 15 years and killing it 🤙🏾Okay, I had to pause it where Jimmie mentioned that functional alcoholism does look normal. I was for 10 years. The only one who knew was my fiancé at the time. Your body can only be your actor for so long. In your mind, your body betrays you. I did have something happen that changed everything. Thankfully, it wasn't something horrific like this. Just FYI, I have 7 1/2 years of sobriety from booze (I need my weed). I also married that fiancé. 15 years and killing it 🤙🏾 does look normal. I was for 10 years. The only one who knew was my fiancé at the time. Your body can only be your actor for so long. In your mind, your body betrays you. I did have something happen that changed everything. Thankfully, it wasn't something horrific like this. Just FYI, I have 7 1/2 years of sobriety from booze (I need my weed). I also married that fiancé. 15 years and killing it 🤙🏾

Shadow Thomas

You should have grown up with an Italian grandma. You wouldn’t expect anything. lol So true!! (Except maybe a whack with a wooden spoon, in my experience 😆)

Melissa Bilotta

I had a woman blow at .32 and was walking around, she kept saying she was just really tired, until she pissed herself lol

Chad Roberts

I had a sister like that her car looked like a golf ball. no dent was her fault lmao ..and she also went down a highway the wrong way luckily no one was killed only because it was in the middle of the night

Ellen Faller

Mine too!

C8withaC

I’m thinking she was a high functioning alcoholic who may have also had an abscessed tooth, which will fuck your head up pretty bad. She probably had just another little nip from the bottle for the pain when the gas station didn’t have anything and it put her over the edge. But the husband, I just want to punch him. Denial much?

Suzanne Kendall

Lol I sing that rolling stone song to my 6 year old now lol

Matt Jensen

I’m dying. Maybe she had an aneurism… thanks doc lol

Emily Garcia

Crazy.. I don't think they mention the vodka bottle in the car in the documentary.

Heather Neal

LMAO AT THE HOMELESS SHANE SHOUTOUT

Brooke C

Does anyone ever consider that she was having a breakdown/on a suicide mission (in addition to being drunk)... As they kept saying on this episode her behavior is even beyond being explained by being super drunk

Jill Butler

The husband just doesn't want culpability. He's as selfish as her.

Renata

that's funny you say that! My hubs and i watched last night: he was believing that she did it purposely. she got aggravated with the kids and she was so drunk, she just said fuck it.

Natalie Stokes

My hubs and i watched this last night. we agree......the husband knows that the evidence is correct and that she was drunk. and we agree that he is just like her that's why he doesn't want to admit it.

Natalie Stokes

That one is such a devastating case but to have these two cover it would be amazing

Nikki Gonzalez

“Sorrow trim.” Jesus Christ 🤣

Free Bowl of Soup

Sounds like you came out the other end. Kudos to you. Stay strong.

Free Bowl of Soup

Genuinely hope the innocent son gets sufficient therapy and emotional support to work through the trauma. Dad’s behavior is frustrating as hell. Crazy to see Dominic Barbara the bloated attorney pop up in this. And yeah, showing her dead body totally unnecessary, doesn’t advance the story, purely sensational, not cool.

Free Bowl of Soup

Want sympathy from my dad? He'll tell you to look in the dictionary between shit and syphilis!

Erika Fultz

What if they made pot brownies or something for the camping trip and she had eaten one in the morning before leaving—and being homemade it had a higher dosage than she was used to. So she wasn’t smoking a joint necessarily (and not risking being caught by the kids or smoking in public when it wasn’t legal?)

Olivia Fisher

Oh gosh! I just have a conspiracy theory. What if Diane's husband spiked her coffee? With the intention to get rid of his family & the 3 girls were collateral damage. Until hearing this podcast I was convinced Diane's intention was to get hammered and end it for everyone in the car. Now, did the husband sabotage Diane and the kids so he wouldn't have to deal with his wife and kids?

Aimee Scheuer

Great point James, why didn't Diane's husband drive behind/infront them? I had wondered that too. It's very ststrange. You'd think a man would want to make sure their family got home safely.

Aimee Scheuer

I found it so strange Diane's husband/the dad never mentioned his daughter.

Aimee Scheuer

X

April

What kind of Kliq soma thinking is this? I hit it now, I got X amount of minutes before it hits. My goodness

John

I tend to agree with this theory

Meghan King

I sing “you can’t always get what you want… but you can cry sometimes..” or I spell out B O O H O O to my kid. I recently used this when she asked for Jordan’s and I don’t make Jordan money. I said “when your feet stop growing, we’ll talk.”

Lily Lansberry

I couldn't do this one. Got 5 mins in and panic at the usual disco. I could have been Aunt Diane. I was I guess. Minus the vehicular manslaughter/homicide. Yikes. Those poor babies and families. And yes, poor Diane too that woman was in a secret hell 😢

Tanya Jukes

So if she had this mysterious "fries to alcohol" condition wouldn't she have it her whole life? How long would the fries have to ferment in her system to create ETOH? What would initiate such fermentation? Some vodkas are indeed made of potatoes but the French fry theory is really reaching.

Sloane H

If he has always worked at night and Diane was a chronic day drinker he might not have realized how bad she was. Just a thought but he could still acknowledge that she was clearly driving drunk that day.

Sloane H

My take is she was a daily drinker / chronic functional alcoholic. The McDonald's cup of orange juice was different in size to whatever her "juice glass" was at home. She over-poured and ingested more than her usual amount and was probably distracted with five kids in the car. If she was driving her neighborhood at home she probably would've done OK because she drives that daily and at lower speeds. But she was on this creepy stretch of road at high speeds, got turned around, and then couldn't figure it out.

Sloane H

Kelly Graustein

The part about their separate schedules makes me think the husband didn't really know her at all around the time of her death.

C8withaC

He told the family the truth - that the alcohol is the predominant issue - and they kept arguing with him that it had to be something else. I think he handled it with more grace than many of us would have and even wished them peace. If only they had firm facts as to the tooth because I would buy someones lunch to have them look the husband and SIL in the eye and tell them she didn't have a dental problem and show receipts.

C8withaC

The SIL can't accept the truth.

C8withaC

The mom even says she spoiled him and Diane spoiled him - um... that's not a functional or healthy marriage dynamic.

C8withaC

I wonder if the husband would have taken it this far if the SIL hadn't been so obsessed. He didn't seem that engaged with the meetings, investigator, lawyer, etc. She seems to be driving the bus on "getting the truth".

C8withaC

I got "if you're looking for sympathy is in the dictionary between shit and syphilis"

C8withaC

I've always thought massive hangover.

C8withaC

I've thought from the beginning that she was battling a massive hangover. The coffee, the orange juice, the hair of the dog screwdriver, then at the gas station she headed straight for the hot dog roller machine, finding it empty she talked with the clerk then left. So basically she's trying to fill her system with old school hangover cures. Telling the kids she had a headache - probably "quiet down I have a headache" is typical major hangover, and probably uncharacteristic for her. The husband saying she was moving slowly that morning is uncharacteristic of someone who is the first parent dropping off their kids, but very characteristic of someone battling a hangover. She probably still had alcohol in her system from the night before, then as the day started and went on she kept filling her system with one cure after the next to no relief, and absolute focus on just getting home. It seems that she (and the SIL) are very driven by shame, needing to keep up appearances, and control. Diane was out of control that day and fighting to regain it - possibly afraid that her brother and family would see her in that state so she doubled down on "i got this" and made the horrific decision to keep driving. The SIL is so invested in preserving Diane's reputation and making sure the other family knows their loved ones weren't killed by a drunk driver that she literally can't hear what everyone is telling her. It would be interesting to see an update on the husband and SIL now.

C8withaC

New Patreon member here and had to watch this documentary when you said you were having an episode to discuss. Horribly tragic event, but seems like you guys are right.... Not any other way to explain!! And yeah did not need to see the dead body shot, there really was no reason for that...except to shock. But guess we all mentioned it! Ugh! Thank you guys for all you do! Love the shows!

Debi Bailey

Holy shit, my dad sang “You can’t always get what you want” to me when I was like 6 too, not an Italian biker but he knew what was up.

Mentally ill Emily

I totally agree about the husband being a liar.

Sphynx

I’ve played that song for my daughter since she was three 😂

Fran Hitzke

When you said that they showed her laying in the field after the accident, I assumed it was from a distance. That was a huge jump scare.

Susan DeGuia

Great as always. I live in NJ. This case was huge. I would love ypu to cover Dear Zachary!

Laura Errera

The sack is fuuuuuucked up

Kalin Colfer

When I watched it, I was fairly convinced that he spiked her drink. Like he wanted to get rid of her and the kids. He didn’t want them anyway….

Jackie Goetz

“Life sucks” reminds me of my HS religion teacher at my Catholic school who would just tell us “Life sucks then you die.”

Carolyn Tso-Kuhl

I hate the Taconic!! I remember when this happened, I was not surprised. You are right, DEATH TRAP

Zoe lewis

I am still fucked up by the "surprise dead body shot" 10 years later! When they first mentioned doing this patreon because the documentary messed them both up i have never felt more seen.

Shelly Tarasenco

My piece of shit dad sang that same fucking song to me, and I then sang it to my girls!! To this day every single one of them gets pissed off at even 1 note of that song!! 🤣

Shelly Tarasenco

I watched the documentary last night and I was convinced she wasn't a big drinker. Then, I listened to this and Jimmy mentioned she could have been a high functioning alcoholic and that makes more sense. No one will ever fully know the truth. So sad for all those lives lost

KaraJeff

Peekskill Hollow Road exit here!!! Watch out for the smoky at Bryant Pond!!

Jill Gianfransico

My mom would say wish in one hand & spit in the other & see which one fills up first. When I reached my teens, she changednit to wish & shit

Debbie

Why does it sound like James moved back to New York?? I thought he wasn't leaving Arizona lol

Valkyrie Melancon

Maine loves you. Keep at it💚💚

Kalin Colfer

Well I’m screwed, I have a TBI. And my hands shake, I problems pronouncing words in the middle of a conversation. My eye twitches. But I know a person who is wasted. Better not have a documentary made about me. And it took me a half hour to type this haha.

Shayne Bartlett

I wonder if she was experiencing alcohol withdrawal? And that's why she was trying to get alcohol in as quickly as possible? I'm not sure if you'd lose your eyesight but maybe if you start to feel ill she'd be struggling.

Madison Berretta

I watched this documentary and the husband and SIL were so convincing about Dianne not drinking. I kept an open mind about the abscess tooth causing the problem because strange things do happen. But as I listened to this podcast I am convinced she was drunk and she hid it from the family and the husband didn’t let anyone know what he knows to protect her character? Or to keep himself from being sued.

Laura Mcloughlin

New Patreon member. Great episode! Just one thing- as far as people suffering a medical crisis driving down the wrong side of the road, I've known of 2 diabetics who did this. One I knew personally, and one stranger that I reported and found out afterward that it was a blood sugar issue. Apparently when your insulin levels are off, you get real out of it and act almost drunk. Clearly not what happened in this case, but at least for diabetics, it can happen!

Holly Beehler

BTW - I told my kids “life’s hard, then you die.” Worked great

Gail Tena

THANK YOU!! This documentary drove me nuts because their explanations made no sense. James’ take that she was a high functioning alcoholic put the pieces into place - explains so much. Especially the hyper focus while driving the wrong way. New Patreon subscriber and this was a good one to start with. Thanks Guys!

Gail Tena

I was raised by a functioning alcoholic. I clearly remember sitting in the passenger seat bawling while mom drove in the wrong lanes and ran lights. I even remember people honking and cussing at her while she waved like she was in a parade, assuming she was being admired. Till the day she died she would have denied ever having a drinking problem, and absolutely denied ever drinking and driving. It's obvious what happened here - it's literally been proven. Shame on her husband for taking this as far as he did.

Kristin Morris

"You can't always get what you want..." My late husband used to sing that to our kids with such evil glee. He passed away 2 years ago, but I think I need to bring that one back. It's just solid parenting 🤣🤣

Kelli Jo

I drive the Taconic to work on the weekends. It's a fucking DEATHTRAP.

Haiasi Eel

"There's some major shit wrong with Aunt Diane." "That poor gal is really fucked up." 🤣

Nicola H

YUP. They do have the warning at the very beginning, then nothing for like 90 minutes and bam. Cannot unsee.

Nicola H

We went to college in Annandale on Hudson NY and drove the Taconic all the time. This was 50 years ago and it was already nuts.

Susan Lippman

What James said about factors that affect your ability to handle a certain amount of alcohol is spot on. Camping, especially "party" camping means huge dehydration, fatigue from sleeping rough or barely at all, exhaustion from herding kids. I could see her being a daily heavy alcoholic but somewhat functional usually, and the camping just weakened her ability to handle the alcohol. However it doesn't matter WHY she was drunk, she was drunk and she drove and killed a bunch of kids.

Mike TV

Also, little fun fact, in NY you don’t get your ‘senior’ license until you’re 18 and you have rules like no driving after 9pm, no driving in the boroughs and no driving on the taconic bc it’s so fkin dangerous. My mom took the taconic every single day to work for 25+ years. That road scares the heck out of me.

Kristen Ellis

I remember when this happened since I lived in the Hudson valley at the time and man it drives me nuts on wtf happened.

Kristen Ellis

New Patreon member here! My first episode!👏🏼👏🏼

Natalie Meyers

lol. My dad would say to me, "Sucks to be you!"

Bryan Lund

The denial by the husband and the sil is unreal. And sad.

Bonnie Hunt

Great dive, Terrible thing...love you guys! Thank you!

Savannah Allen

The Japanese voice actress Hiromi Tsuru, was driving her car in Tokyo. She felt something was wrong with her, pulled over, put her emergency signals on and passed away. She had a heart condition of some sort. Very sad. She had the presence of mind to make sure she didn’t keep going and cause an accident.

Max Wilson

James seems increasingly pissed off and annoyed these last 4 episodes especially on non patreon episodes. Hope all is well man

Alec Yorballs

Life sucks! I love you guys 😂

Rachel Schaeffer

As if I didn’t already love you both so much ! This episode!!! You are my spirit people!!❤️❤️❤️

Beccasue

HOLY SHIT YOU GUYS!!! PLEASE make merch that just says "Accept Reality" or "Murder Turkeys Accept Reality" or something similar. You print that on a shirt and I will buy the fuck outta that!!! 😁😅

Tanya D

Ok I still think about the shot of Diane’s dead body in the documentary. Like I was totally fine and intrigued by this story and then seriously that shot has been ingrained into my brain permanently.

Lindsey Clark

Is it possible she found out something about the husband that upset her, led her to drink a whole bunch on the way home, drive crazy, and then the secret died with her? Not like the he planned/caused it but just got really lucky and is now playing the clueless husband instead of admitting she found out and his secret is safe again.

Charlie

Yes I kept waiting for them to mention this!!

Shelby

I need to watch this now. Lol. I’m getting ready to see y’all live in Oklahoma City and in Austin and I hope I get the chance to meet you fine gentlemen!!

Christopher Shelton

I watched this 10 years ago and remember there was an interesting theory concerning her Ambien use and how it causes people to blackout/lose time/sleepwalk however it wouldn't explain how that much alcohol got into her system unwittingly. I mean you'd have to be a pretty serious drunk to sleepwalk your way to a .19 BAC!

Louis Ludwig

‘Accident’ defo used loosely for this crazy one!

Tommy Duggan

She had tooth pain and was afraid of dentists. There’s a part where the documentary says she jumped off the table and left

The Hey Eliott Podcast

A whole documentary about a terrible tragic accident and a couple people in absolute denial

Kyra Richter

Hahahahah I dang that to my daughter when she was little.

Liesl Manone

I am a recovering alcoholic with 15 years sober. I have seen this documentary. She was hammered.

Liesl Manone

I spoke with an AZ state trooper one time who said one of the wrong way interstate drivers he got was an individual suffering a diabetic emergency, this happens quite frequently really

Jessica Alberti

Her "gas hole" was perfectly lined up. 😆

Kasey Holloran

There is no pain on this planet that would have me drink and drive my babies. Ever.

Smalls (smallenoughtofit)

James and I have the same dad I stg

Roman Smoker

This is off topic and I might be late to the game, but do James AND Jimmie both live in NY now? Or nah

Courtney Murphy

And probably wanted nothing to do with the husband or sister in law. I don’t blame them. I don’t think I could handle losing all of my kids in one day, knowing that they were terrified in their final moments. I would harbor deep resentment towards the husband for very likely knowing that she had a problem and allowing her to drive the kids. I can’t even imagine going through that kind of loss and then dealing with that asshole.

Jennifer McIntosh

I agree with this! I’ve been with friends on several trips and we always left together and checked in along the way, and stopped together. He left her with 5 young kids to deal with. I still think she’s a piece of shit for driving while drunk. I get she had alcoholism, but at the end of the day she destroyed several families with her choice and the last moments of those kids lives were full of terror. Her husband is also a piece of shit for refusing to accept the truth which is continuing to hurt the victims families. And for not stepping in when the problem was worse. I agree with the Jimmie’s, there’s no way he didn’t know.

Jennifer McIntosh

He sued the family who lost all of their kids ????? Extra piece of shit. I can’t imagine.

Jennifer McIntosh

Unfortunately there were phone calls from one of the kids during the incident and you could hear them screaming. I wish for Their sake they were knocked out.

Jennifer McIntosh

When the SIL was describing Diane's day, and how she was constantly busy, it sounded like someone who was completely miserable and was doing everything she could to keep her mind off how miserable she was. It literally sounded like a lot of people I have known that had undiagnosed depression.

Becca Thomas

What got me was the SIL saying "There's no way she's an alcoholic, I would know." and then later in the documentary she says "Nobody in my family knows that I smoke." Like.....do you not see the irony in that?

Becca Thomas

Mine too!! 🤣

mind snare

True-every gas station/convenience store in the country has Advil, but I wonder if she stopped at the gas station for Benadryl to sedate her passengers (ala Hart Family)? Maybe she only found those single dose packs and knew it would look weird to buy them in bulk. Hadn’t considered that until listening to this episode.

LostAuroraX

When I first started dissociating from ptsd, I would have put up my life that it did not happen. I had no memory of it and saw no evidence. It wasn’t until I lived alone and couldn’t dismiss the evidence that I realized what was happening. And I’m a scientific/rational person. Having your reality warped like that is hard af to wrap your head around.

Stacie Pease (“Peez”)

As a child I would say I want something (candy bar, toy, British Knight shoes, etc) and my dad would just look at me and say “how does it feel to want?” and keep on moving.

Lacie Ucherek

The craziest part of the documentary is when the sister-in-law sneaks outside for a cigarette and says “no one in my family knows that I smoke”. And she’s completely oblivious to the irony. Because there’s no way SHE didn’t know Diane was drinking.🤦🏻‍♀️

Marisa Heacock

I just past an asshole openly drinking on the expressway. Just having a ball. As we're sitting in traffic for an accident. Rochester NY God Ilove to Hate this shithole.

Shadow Thomas

That is too damn funny! I've always told my kid life sucks deal with it 🤣

Kari Salwey

I watched this like 3 years ago and think about it all the time!!!! Can’t get it out of my head

Katelyn Hallam

He was quick to point out all the responsibilities he had now. 😡

Barbara John-Lay

Y 🥹

Regan Burns

James my parents sang The Rolling Stones at me too 😂 assholes.

Molly S

My husband has been sober 2 years and said the same thing. Your need for alcohol is more important than anything in your life, even these those kids 😢

Not George

If you know any ED nurses ask them about folks driving the wrong way on the highway- drunk, Alzheimer’s, and just stupidity sometimes. Please make a show about it !!

Not George

Also I feel like with 5 kids in the car she probably needed something to “chill” since she probably was on edge with all those kids in a car and the only adult.

Nia

My most recent landlord could easily end up just like this and I have no idea how to go about addressing this knowledge.

Broke College Student Food Blog

Recovering alkie here…almost 9 years sober…at my worst, my tolerance was such that I could navigate a typical day on about a .20. I’m not proud of it and I’m not bragging. I was sick. It sounds like Diane was too. J&J’s point toward the end of the episode about her planning her buzz to hit when she parked her van is spot on. Somehow, I never killed or hurt anyone. I don’t know how. She was an alcoholic and her number was up. Quite simple really.

Jonathan Bennett

The sister in law needs two things, This podcast, and a therapist to grab reality! Don’t hypnotize Bryan, he’s already living with a dad who doesn’t want him! Poor kid!

LouLou Rogers

Proud as fuck to be an official STM “Accept Reality [Person]”. Excellent work Js! XOXO -PS-I too remember the times my Dad sung “You can’t always get what you want” to us kids. You smoosh James’s stories together with Sebastian Maniscalco’s about family and you got my Dad. The only difference being that I was raised by Italians but I’m not Italian myself! Just raised to respect pasta, etc. <3

Cher Strong (#localweedia)

Just watched it! Wow! Whatever happened Diane was FUCKED up and her family was in DENIAL. This doc needs an update. I hope Bryan is a nice young man.

Elizabeth Freeman

See which one fills up first

Colin Burke

My mother also used to sing that song when I wasn’t gonna get something too lmao

Colin Burke

I agree

Biscuit the Cat

The husband was a loser. He’s mad because she’s dead and he’s stuck with all the responsibility

Biscuit the Cat

I'm a 38 year old Aussie... and I'd sing "you can't always get what you want" at my nephews when they were little and said "I want...". Didn't matter where, didn't matter when. I can't sing for shit and I'd sing it in the supermarket if that's where they said "I want...". They stopped saying it 😂😂😂

The Pudd

This one was so good!

Alexis Rogers-Esparcia

I have been fascinated by this case for years. It seems pretty obvious at this point that Diane was a high-functioning alcoholic and this awful tragedy was the end result of the mask finally slipping a bit. I agree with James/ Jimmie/ others that the asshole husband 100% knew and is in denial. I feel bad for the sister Jay but she is a delusional idiot. Something else to note (and this is pure speculation I’ve seen elsewhere online, so take it worth a grain of salt), Diane’s poor little daughter that was killed in the crash looks a lot like a child with FAS. If that was actually the case (and there’s no way of knowing for sure), it’s just more proof how fucked-up this family was. Speaking of, I *really* hope Bryan is doing okay, that poor kid. If my math is right I think he’d be a young man in his early twenties by now, or close to it. I’ve always wanted to hear the Hance family’s side of the story, but it’s pretty clear they want nothing to do with the publicity of this case and want to maintain their privacy, which makes sense. I’d have to imagine they have stories about the parents of the year Schuler couple.

Scott Brady

After researching this off and on for years. I’m convinced it was intentional I believe they got in a fight that morning and didn’t really like each other anyway by that point. She spent the drive hating him and got loaded enough to take herself out of the situation, kids be damned. Husband is a total POS. He’s not in denial. He didn’t care. He’s mad the son survived.

LostAuroraX

Never heard of this accident and if it did reach our airwaves, likely just given a snippet in the “world news” sections. What’s the bet that her having a demanding, high paying job brought more money home was a cause of his insecurities and they had a fight over the holiday, that could be why just him and the dog went in one car and she was loaded up with all the kids and camper. After camping with kids myself and still having to be responsible for getting food and clothing for them while the hubby is on holiday mode and drinking. She possibly felt like she didn’t get a chance to relax. Very likely she was a functioning alcoholic and, like the boys said, substance effects differentiate depending on the circumstances. I also thought that the OJ would have been for the vodka and she thought she could have a nice buzz to deal with the husband when she got back. I’d have been pissed off if my husband just took the dog and left me with all the kids and towing a camper. He is 100% in denial.

Justine McNeil

Same. Murder suicide

Lauren kannemeyer

I watched it before this episode.

Lauren kannemeyer

James and Jimmie 2024

Nicole H.

Does anyone else want to watch this doc again after listening to this?

Erin Richards-Wilhelm

My parents' favorite phrase, "You can wish in one hand and shit in the other and see what you get."

Tammy Hedrick

Yea I don’t know if I can listen because it’s already getting me fired up. I despise Diane and her entire family and if they defend her or entertain any of their ridiculous BS I’m going to get annoyed.

Megan Crowley

But who thinks there’s no Advil so I’ll get hammered???

Megan Crowley

I think she did it intentionally. She managed to hide her alcoholism from (nearly) everyone for years. Not only that, she hid her addiction so well that she was admired as this amazing "super mom" by her loved ones. Maintaining that facade must have required a level of control that boarded on obsession, and she had to keep it up every single day. It would have been exhausting but she was likely very proud of her ability to keep everything hidden. Sadly, cracks appeared that morning and she couldn't keep her shit together. Publicly puking at rest stops, driving like an asshole, pulling over to the side of the road, kids making calls telling their parents that something is wrong with Aunt Diane... That's not "super mom" behavior, especially not in front of a bunch of little kids The kids must have been terrified by all of this btw. Diane was used to smiling faces and adoration, but all of a sudden the kids were screaming, sobbing, questioning her, and begging her to stop. She knew that they were going to tell their families what happened. She knew that the cops were probably already on their way due to her trying to run people off the road. She knew that tons of people had witnessed her behaving inappropriately *with kids in the car.* An unforgivable sin The cops would find out how drunk she was, she'd be arrested, it would likely make the news, and everyone would know that she had been a danger all along Then the whole family would turn against her in a whirlwind of condemnation, rage, and disappointment. There would be no more "super mom", just a sad woman named Diane who can't be trusted around kids. In her mind, she would have lost her marriage, her home, her children, and any shred of respect she had ever earned. It was all over. The though of losing everything must have been catastrophic beyond comprehension, and she couldn't face the reality of what was about to happen. So she chose to end it before the consequences could catch up to her. Driving the wrong way, blatantly ignoring the other drivers as they honked their horns, total concentration? It's all so *public* and, in a weird way, theatrical; a self destructive confession of sorts. Almost as if she's responding to future criticism by screaming, "Fuck it! The kids are already traumatized and I can't undo it! Everyone will know and nobody will forgive me for what I've done! My life is already over... So this nightmare ends on *my* terms!!!!" I know that Diane didn't wake up that morning with the plan to kill herself and a bunch of innocent people. But as shit fell apart, she couldn't handle the idea of living in a world that would turn against her very very soon. She rage quit life before "the enemy" had a chance to take her out.

Amanda Bishop

Is this supposed to be funny? She killed children and several innocent people.

Megan Crowley

To me they’re just as selfish and messed up as she is. My heartbreaks for her victims and the fact that her idiot asshat husband revictimizes them but denying her culpability.

Megan Crowley

As a former Army drug tester, James, I assure you will be clean 57 years post-mortem LMAOO

Benjamin Pierce

I also wasn't expecting to see dead Diane just laying off to the side all fat and bruised like..

Don Brodka Jr

Thank you for bringing it up at the end. We used to sing to our kids too, it got to the point where we just had to say "Do I need to sing?" Usually made them rethink whatever they were asking for.

Roberta

My moment of realizing life was shit was when I tried to join the bon Jovi fan club and I truly thought he was the one responding to the letters. When I got my response they spelled my name dorni boli. My name was Danni trimboli. I was devastated but it was a valuable lesson! No one cares!!!

Danni Trimboli Ortega

My dad's catch phrase when my brother and I were growing up was, "life sucks, deal with it".

Steve Paecht

I'm not sure about the timeline, but she appeared sober at the Sunoco station, then at the toll booth it sounds as though she was inebriated. It makes sense that she was possibly trying to self medicate; she spoke to the attendant at the station, so why didn't that person direct her to the pain meds, if that's what she was actually looking for? I've had tooth pain, and I can't imagine not doing whatever was necessary to get an abscessed tooth removed, and I sure the fuck wouldn't be camping! And why did the husband change his story about the bottle of Absolüt being in the van? Was she blackout drunk, where she appeared focused but in reality had no idea what was going on? Such a tragic turn of events. 😢 On a different note, I was sickened by the pictures of her after the accident. Why would you show those, documentary people?!?!

Michelle Miller

Just rewatched the documentary today and am stunned by the actions of Danny and Jay. He is just a spoiled brat and she is almost as annoying as he is. I feel sorry for poor Bryan and the rest of the families who lost members. Seems obvious to me that Diane was drunk/high and that this caused the accident.

Kathy

Zero mystery here. An alcoholic mother drank and got behind the wheel and killed 8 people. Her family is in denial.

Jonathan Bennett

The husband and the sister in law are delusional. No wonder the other people didn’t want to be on the doc. Also how does life insurance work if a spouse dies while driving drunk and losing your kids too? Did he egg her on to keep her drinking? Who the hell knows 🤷‍♀️

Tracy Poetz

Better than crashing into his couch!!!

Erik Molnar

I hung out with Jimmie once. I was and still am embarrassed how drunk I got. I ended up having to crash on his couch.

Megan Swanson

The only mystery here is psychological, not forensic or medical. We know what happened: Diane got drunk & high to the point of acute confusion. She sped down the parkway the wrong way, eventually plowing into another vehicle head-on. The father, son, & a friend in that vehicle died. Diane, three nieces, & her daughter were killed. Although seriously injured, her young son was the only survivor. Those are the FACTS. Diane was a "superwoman." High-paying job, "perfect" wife & mother, highly organized, busy busy busy, in charge, and ALWAYS IN CONTROL. Diane's husband was an immature & irresponsible guy. Schlubby, lazy, kind of a loser. She commented a few times to friends that it was like being mother to three kids, not two. Everyone in her family was very invested in maintaining Diane's "perfect" facade. Admitting the ugly truth? Nah, NOPE. Imo, it was kinda a Madonna/whore situation; She was perfect - or - she was a terrible mom who killed 7 innocent people. No nuance or subtlety allowed. Trivia: * Diane's body rolled out of the vehicle when they were finally able to open her door. The published photos of her corpse were taken then. * The parents of the three nieces who died eventually had another child with the help of a surgeon who offered his services for free. * Diane's husband sued the niece's parents because they owned the van she was driving. I think (might be wrrong) the suit was dismissed. * Witnesses who described Diane's demeanor while driving the final stretch as "gripping the wheel", "staring straight ahead", & going very fast were describing the behavior of someone who was determined to get home ASAP b/c they had a moment of clarity & realized how much trouble they were in. That was Diane desperately trying to control the situation; concentrate, concentrate! Thanks for the episode. I really enjoyed it

Sherry Hubbell

Mmp 🤔 but mM m N L L llp m be pm

Susan

I think the husband poisoned her.

LaTanya McKenney

Lmao, thinking of lil Jimmie crying. That Rollin Srones song has been n my head for the past 20 yrs

Dr Phil Goode 👹🌲🔥

I 4got, my bro had some micro seizures and turned down the intersrstate going the wrong way. I also have a homie that has drove down the wrong exit on interstate 2 different times driving drunk. I love smoking my trees and have always drove high perfect. I think it's alcohol related.

Dr Phil Goode 👹🌲🔥

Thank you James !! I’m so glad somebody finally asked the question I’ve been wondering the whole time! Why the fuck didn’t the husband follow her home ??? A woman driving with 5 kids and the asshole doesn’t even give her the courtesy to follow her in case she has any trouble ? He’s a piece of shit .

Terri Atkinson

I'm not a drinker but I had a crazy dusted drive down an interstate. I didn't know it was dust til I sat in my car. Idk how I made it home and didn't hurt anyone.

Dr Phil Goode 👹🌲🔥

I agree that the documentary was biased, I think a great follow up would be for someone to actually investigate Diane's behaviors. Especially if she drank that much there would be paper trails to liquor stores, etc. I'm also curious to see what happened between the dad and Bryan in the last 15 years!

Crystal CrMo Moyer

I just recently rewatched this documentary and the photo of Dianne was definitely something I forgot from the first time. But I wholeheartedly agree that she was probably used to be drunk around the kids/driving. For whatever reason that day, she miscalculated her drink and got drunker than she anticipated. I think the husband has immense guilt for letting her drive all those kids & leaving before her. It’s so sad but it will help her kid in the future if the family is just honest.

Cam 🛸

"Sad gash" should be on a shirt.

Random Precision

I watched this documentary years ago and it’s haunted me ever since. So good to hear you guys talk about it, thank you!

MG

My grandfather always said the key to happiness was to lower your expectations 👏

Kirk Wildermuth

"Sorrow Trim" 😂

Katie Garman

I think the husband initially said Diane wasn't drunk to save her public reputation. Then when the toxicology reports showed otherwise, he had to double down and the sister in law keeps pushing because she doesn't know the truth

Jennifer Stevens

In her drunk logic, annoyance, and anger from being lost. I think she turned around to backtrack. After being in the car 4x longer than supposed to, she had a “fuck then I’m having a bad day” attitude. Flustered enough to believe the cars should get out of her way.

Rowdy Hurst

Those blood alcohol levels are almost Wisconsin averages for the functional alcoholics.

Granny Rachel

Well now I want a "Cheer up gash" shirt for my husband. Thanks guys, I actually feel there's some closure by pointing out the obvious in this.

Audra Wajda

My much older cousin told me, “Life’s a shit sandwich. The more bread you got, the less shit you eat.” 😆

Ginger Thomas

😭 Baby Jimmy! we need to buy him a monster truck!

Ginger Thomas

Woosh, I’ve never identified with anything more. Grew up in Buffalo, Italian, wearing hand me downs, expecting nothing. We might as well have had a “life’s a bitch & then you die” cross stitched pillow on the couch. My Italian grandmother was the sweetest woman ever though. The worst she did to me was try to feed me to death/give me diabetes.

Nanci Janssen

My kids hate the song lyrics "you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes..." lol I died when James said that

Alexandra Reed

The whole thing is horrible, horrific, and absolutely insane. I lost my brother in a car crash when he was 17. No drinking involved but it was him in his car and a classmate in another. It took me a very long time to accept the fact that the other car and driver that walked away unscathed were not singularly to blame. 2 kids fucking around on a back road on a rainy November night. 1 lost control and hit a tree. The other just kept going. He’s a piece of shit for not stopping or calling for help but I can’t put all the blame on him. Fast forward 10 years, and in a proper use of the word ‘ironically’, that kid was fucking around in the same car he’d been driving on that rainy November night 10 years prior, only this time it was a sunny summer afternoon when he hit a tree and was killed immediately. He had a problem that went unchecked and unpunished for years. His problem was treating the road like his own personal playground and other drivers like an obstacle course. No one checked him or his behavior. No one intervened. Nothing ever stopped him or his behavior until one day, it did. Only it was a tree instead of a person. Actions have consequences.

Chamy103

The documentary said she went to get it treated and walked out of the appointment half way through. They said she was afraid of/didn’t like dental work.

Ginger Thomas

I tested positive on a urine test for THC after abstaining for six weeks. In 1991.

SmallTown Blonde in the Big City

That's interesting. There's some BBC presenter who had a yeast infection that traveled to her brain somehow, she described being "slightly pissed for a year" on some panel show before anyone figured it out and treated it.

Grumpy Aunt

The husband will never admit it because that maybe makes him liable. He doesn't want some wrongful death law suit. My mom was an alcoholic, I used to tell the same lie to authority figures. When DCYF sent investigators to our home I told them, "Oh she had half a glass of wine at Easter. Do you mean - does communion wine count? She does that at church." People get used to lying for relatives esp if they feel powerless or stuck in the situation.

Grumpy Aunt

I've had a dental abscess and didn't have a dentist. I went to the emergency room and they gave me antibiotics. They scheduled me to see someone at the clinic of a big teaching hospital where basically new dentists get experience. If you have a dental abscess you can still get treatment. The ER has to treat you because it is an infection that could kill you if it's untreated. This woman was just making terrible decisions. She was drunk and if she didn't get treatment for her tooth on top of that...well, just one more bad decision.

Grumpy Aunt

Did they ever find out who she tried to call 3 times? Because it seems like in her panic she knew she was too drunk and tried to call someone for help. They probably feel pretty bad.

Rebecca

My motto in elementary school was "lifes a bitch then you die".... I also had an Italian grandmother

Cosmo's ma

I saw the old lady on On Patrol: Live 3 days ago. She had a 0.32 B.A.C.! I texted my son, a former cop, about it. She seemed completely fine, a bit dizzy, like maybe she had hit her head or something, but her speech was not slurred a bit! We also drew the conclusion that she just must be fucked up every single day of her life.

Lisa Cross

Am I the only one that wanted to give Jimmie a hug after that monster truck story!? That shirt wasn’t bought for me! 😅

Marie-Hélène Paradis

I’m laughing about the driving while tripping. The first time I took ecstasy I was 19 in 1999. I didn’t know what to expect and I hit while driving through Fells Point in Baltimore. I just remember saying “I think I’m in Gran Turismo now!” Jesus, I was fucking stupid.

Brandi

Lol same!

Julia C

"That monster truck crushed more than cars that day" 😂😂😂 poor Jimmy

Julia C

When I was a kid and I complained that something wasn’t fair, my dad would say, “Well Jen, life’s a bitch…and then you die.” Or, he would say, “Life isn’t fair.” He’s an immigrant and a self-made millionaire, I wish I’d take his advice more seriously when I was younger.

Jen Meents

Came here to say I learned how to drive on the Taconic, commuted on it daily for years, and used to drive on it stoned regularly when I was in college. I remember when this happened. CAN CONFIRM that it’s absolutely so confusing how she could have even driven in the wrong direction in the first place - wasted or not. The whole community was stunned. So friggen mind blowing & sad.

Elana Gleason

I watched the documentary years ago. The only thing wrong with Aunt Diane was her addiction to alcohol. That family is in denial.

Maureen Wilson

"Life Sucks Then You Die" The Fools

Ruth Dunlap

Enjoyed this, as a child when I would complain about frivolous nonsense, my dad, would rub his thumb and index finger together and say, “oh, it’s the world’s tiniest violin.. playing my heart bleeds for you..” in a very sarcastic tone.

Bob Richmond

The brother and his wife who lost his daughters didn't comment in the doc because they know.

Ester Marie Rico

I remember when this happened. I think she was drunk and her husband is in denial. I've seen people go 80 mph around peekskill hollow road which is a double 90° turn.

Elizabeth

Definitely what I think too!

Amber Thomas

Oh Jimmy, Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy, I’m crying for you

Steve Cummings

I laughed so hard at the end because I have an ex who, whenever I was upset about some shit, would always sing that Rolling Stones song to me. Granted, it was because he was an asshole, but still.

Alexis Brooks

As an emergency nurse, there are 2 indicators that give away drunk drivers; driving the wrong way on the highway and driving without headlights on. I think she was drunk. A big drunk and this time it got away from her.

Corinna Moon

Her family bothers me SO much! She was drunk

Megan Lowry

Dr Werner Spitz might be a legend but hell he is a grumpy old asshole

Judy Cronje

Omg just watched this last night to be prepared for this show and OMFG!!! Can someone please turn this psychotic counselor lady to the board to get her license pulled!!!! Hallucinating off weed? I’m a daily smoker and I have never been so high I hallucinate.

Melissa Cherokee Nation

Comment coming from someone who has not watched this documentary yet so I'm going off what was said here. Number 1: how in the fuck? I can't even park at the pump perfect while sober, do you know how often I have to pull forward just a little more. Jokes aside, this lady was drunk as hell. Now there is a medical condition where the body gets drunk off bread, I had a roommate that was that way, but this lady was drunk. Also the people that were saying the fire added the alcohol to the blood, it's probably more likely it burned away some of it.

Tyler Summers

A lady in Minnesota had low blood sugar, was disoriented, and drove the wrong way down the highway.

Jenn W

I think she had Auto-brewery Syndrome.

Jenn W

I think the husband was a useless POS and knows Diane drank b/c he was useless and she was under an enormous amount of stress. And SIL also knows this and they’re both in such strong denial/guilt that they can’t admit Diane was a drunk and they knew and didn’t say anything and this happened.

Lindsay

I remember watching the doc and thinking she was panicked when pulled over and left her phone. I assume she was panicking about the mother and father of her nieces knowing she was so fucked up. I honestly agree with the episode! The husband and Diane leaving separately always seemed off. I wonder what the night before was like? I loved this episode!

Shea Brown

So in the movie one of the friends mentions that she had lost weight and that’s when she met her husband. If you remember Terry Schiavo- she had been starving herself and only drinking iced tea which caused her body to shut down and go into a vegetative state. My thoughts are that Diane was probably drinking so much as a result of dieting (and possibly not eating) and being so high strung- many people mentioned she always “had it together”. Which makes everyone a terrible narrator since she probably kept everyone at arm’s length. I watched this doc when it came out and just watched it again this week and it’s so hard to watch. As a parent, I can’t imagine being this irresponsible and also worry so much about being able to trust my kid with people who mask like Diane did.

Rosa Garcia

I covered this on my podcast a few years back! The thing about the pain meds she was looking for is that even if the gas station somehow didn’t have any, I checked that exit and the area nearby and there was literally a pharmacy and a grocery store right around the corner. If she really needed it so very badly, the clerk could have told her as much and she could have gone there instead. But she didn’t. It also wasn’t the only gas station there, so … 🤷🏼‍♀️

Jennifer Matarese

Yes!!!

Pamela Greenlee

I had to listen to this one right away! This documentary has been on my mind for months now.

CuddlingDeath

I had never seen this documentary, so watched it this week, can’t wait to try to process it with you guys 😵‍💫

Jordyn Fahey

This one is going to ruin me. That dad is an absolute POS man child.

Kristi-Lea

I've been waiting for this one! I can't wait to go to work in the morning so I can listen!

Maejan Amelio

Oh my goodness. This was one of the riveting and gut wrenching stories. Right on the Taconic.

Donna Bliss

Amazing documentary!!

Matthew Golden