There's Something Wrong with Aunt Diane

[configdotsys]

On 2/24/2022 at 1:54 AM, Tdoc72 said:

They actually did both. Warren left to try and find her where he asked her to stay while Jackie (and friends I think) contacted various authorities. I find their actions smart and reasonable and not weird at all. 

I know they had car seats, as that was the reason Diane borrowed the Hance’s minivan.  According to the official report (http://www.autopsyfiles.org/reports/policereport/schuler, diane_police_report.pdf) at #33 the witness, who removed the kids from the car trying to save them, said all 5 were seatbelted. #34 witness also mentions them being seatbelted. #40 witness says at least 2 were in car seats. 
~~~

Curious where the upset/mean customer at McDonalds story came from. In the report linked above, the cashier said she was pleasant (pg 13, #65).

Maybe I'm nuts, but if my kids were in a car 90 minutes away crying and their aunt was driving, slurring, and calling her brother the wrong name, I just don't see myself thinking it's reasonable to tell the aunt to "stay there, I'll come and get you."  They asked for an Amber alert for the car after they arrived up there as well. 

The police report pretty clearly states that despite Warren reporting that Jackie contacted two police barracks up there while he was on the way, neither department had any record of any calls. They found out about the situation when Warren and his father arrived up there. By that time, the crash had already occurred.

The McDonald's video-- that could have truly shown what state she was in, if there was a dispute at the register, and if she looked tipsy-- was supressed. The authorities and the family PI had those videos and had no problem releasing some of them, so why not that one? The employees may have gone into cya mode. The family PI would have used it in a heartbeat if it was favorable to Danny's "she must have had a stroke" or whatever else they were trying to sell. 

Edited March 1, 2022 by configdotsys

[configdotsys]

On 2/22/2022 at 3:04 PM, heatherchandler said:

They did!  They interviewed the guy and he was like, "hmm that's weird."

I bet they were having an affair and he really really needed to keep that secret.

I have read different things about the length of time of the call, some reports say 17 seconds.  Even if it was, I maintain 17 seconds is long enough to say, "I told you not to call me here, what are you thinking? We are done, that's it." Click.

 

I believe there was a 17 second call while she was driving home that just so happened to be to a person who lives near her work. That was the one written off by the wrong number. I think the 9 minute call occurred the night before they left the camp site to go home. So she had reason to drink and smoke all night if crazed over what happened in that call. There were lots of things posted back around the time of the documentary that are no longer compiled nicely but I specifically remember the 9 minute call reports. 

Something else that also puzzled me was that fine, Danny was going to drive home with the laundry and the dog. I get that. But wouldn't you go to breakfast with the familiy first and then head home after that? Maybe they had fought the night before and he left angry. 

The police report mentions that there was a video of Diane and the kids in McDonald's but later says that security video received in August does not show Diane going into McDonald's. 

We'll never know what really happened here. I hope Bryan is doing well and not living with his father. The end of the documentary when Danny tries-- probably for the cameras-- to take his hand and he slaps it away is pretty telling. 

[heatherchandler]

27 minutes ago, configdotsys said:

I believe there was a 17 second call while she was driving home that just so happened to be to a person who lives near her work. That was the one written off by the wrong number. I think the 9 minute call occurred the night before they left the camp site to go home. So she had reason to drink and smoke all night if crazed over what happened in that call. There were lots of things posted back around the time of the documentary that are no longer compiled nicely but I specifically remember the 9 minute call reports. 

Something else that also puzzled me was that fine, Danny was going to drive home with the laundry and the dog. I get that. But wouldn't you go to breakfast with the familiy first and then head home after that? Maybe they had fought the night before and he left angry. 

The police report mentions that there was a video of Diane and the kids in McDonald's but later says that security video received in August does not show Diane going into McDonald's. 

We'll never know what really happened here. I hope Bryan is doing well and not living with his father. The end of the documentary when Danny tries-- probably for the cameras-- to take his hand and he slaps it away is pretty telling. 

Oh, I did not know there was another call the night before.  I wish there was a full timeline with info somewhere.  

Yeah, unless someone comes forward and says, "yep we were having an affair, I broke up with her and she went off the deep end.." we will never really know the full story.  And I am sure whoever that person is does not want any part of this whole story and will probably never come forward.

Danny is a totally unreliable narrator; if he was a character in a book, I would think he was poorly written.  

 

[configdotsys]

4 hours ago, heatherchandler said:

Oh, I did not know there was another call the night before.  I wish there was a full timeline with info somewhere.  

Yeah, unless someone comes forward and says, "yep we were having an affair, I broke up with her and she went off the deep end.." we will never really know the full story.  And I am sure whoever that person is does not want any part of this whole story and will probably never come forward.

Danny is a totally unreliable narrator; if he was a character in a book, I would think he was poorly written.  

 

I wish I could remember the message board where we had a huge ongoing discussion for months and links to all kinds of stuff. I swear there was a 9 minute phone call that Diane had with someone at the campsite the night before they left. The only info I could find out about the 17 second call was that the person who received it said it was "weird." Doesn't say much.

I don't buy that the kids were dialing wrong numbers. There were a lot of things: reports, videos, records, etc. release but some were not. You have to wonder why. With all the tooth pain and other excuses and stuff they were throwing at the wall, why didn't they say she was vomiting because she got food poisoning from McD? 

I believe one of the Bastardi family members wrote a book at one point. They sued but for a small amount because they were not looking for money, they were looking for information and figured a court case would force it out into the open. 

[SunnyBeBe]

What was Diane’s cause of death?  I know being in a car collision, but was it internal injury to brain, heart, etc?  Did they have air bags?  
 

Update:  I found her autopsy report. I won’t provide a link, but let me know if you want it.  She had multiple injuries, such as fractured arm, both legs, ribs, lower jaw, lacerations to multiple organs, but it seems the main injuries were severe spinal fractures. 

Edited March 2, 2022 by SunnyBeBe

[lovinbob]

I try not to hate people, but I can't say I feel sad about Diane sustaining those gruesome injuries. 

I'm sorry that we don't know more about who this woman really was and what was happening in her life. Her husband, and others who have suppressed information that could bring the victims' families some peace and understanding, deserve to be punished.  

[heatherchandler]

12 hours ago, SunnyBeBe said:

What was Diane’s cause of death?  I know being in a car collision, but was it internal injury to brain, heart, etc?  Did they have air bags?  
 

Update:  I found her autopsy report. I won’t provide a link, but let me know if you want it.  She had multiple injuries, such as fractured arm, both legs, ribs, lower jaw, lacerations to multiple organs, but it seems the main injuries were severe spinal fractures. 

After I read the book by the Hance mom, I looked for more info online and stumbled onto photos of the crash.  Thank god they were only of Diane, and not the kids, but still... the photos of her were upsetting.

[SunnyBeBe]

Yes, the photos were disturbing, though looking at the vehicle it would seem things would be worse.  

[funky-rat]

On March 4th, I was bringing my mother back home - the end of a long drive and a long day, spent at a show I bought her tickets for at Christmas.  I passed a restaurant on my way home very early in the morning that I've passed 5000 times.  Nothing stood out.

I arrived home at 2am, and went straight to bed in the living room so as not to wake my husband, who works Saturdays.  In the morning, he asked if I heard the news.  A car (a BMW sedan if it matters) had landed on the roof of that restaurant.  The story - not anywhere near finalized - said she hit a van and catapulted to the roof (the van was waiting for a carry out order to be ready).  The scuttlebutt was that she was hurt, a baby was in a car seat in the back and hurt, and a dog was dead.  Many people called 911 to report her as she sped down the road, driving erratically.

As the day went on, the story started to gel.  Initially, they said she had come from a town about 6 miles up the road, and had hit a few people on the way, before having this accident.   The baby was injured from not being strapped in correctly, but was still strapped in.  The dead dog turned out to be a stuffed animal that someone mistook for a real dog when it fell out the back.  When her name was released (she survived and was in the hospital, along with the baby, and a few people she had hit), people who knew her came out of the woodwork to say she would NEVER do anything to endanger her baby - it must have been something medical.  My BS sense started tingling.

Where we are now is this:

She actually started from a town about 30 miles north - she lives just a few miles from where she wrecked

She hit at least 8 cars, a bunch of poles and other property, and some barriers

The van she hit that put her on the roof of the building had two people in it - the driver was shaken but OK  - her passenger was in the hospital with a broken back (he had to have rods and fused vertebrae), broken collar bones, and some other damage (he's home)

As she launched to the roof, she lost a wheel, and the engine to her car - the engine was on fire, and rolled into the restaurant, where it started a fire that was put out by the bank next door

Her BAC was FOUR TIMES the legal limit

Her children (not just the baby in the car) were removed from the house immediately

When she was released from the hospital, they came to arrest her, and she took off - she was apprehended later

According to a number of people who know her (who weren't singing her praises like the others were initially), she's had multiple DUI arrests in the past, but her family uses their money and influence to make it go away - I'm sure this will come out more

SO......she's in jail.  People who were injured by her (bodily or property) have not been able to reach her insurance company.  The people in the van lost their vehicle (it's scary how damaged it was) and they had liability only so it's on the woman who caused the accident's insurance to replace it.  They're in the process of suing.  A local car dealer stepped up and loaned them a car.  The restaurant has been condemned and may have a hard time becoming whole to repair and rebuild.

They have released footage from the KFC across the street, and I can't fathom this was real.  It's mind-blowing.  Later, I'll have to see if I can post some links.  This has just started.  I'm wondering what's coming next.  I'm sure more footage will surface.  She crossed three counties.  I'm not sure how she made it that far.  Right before she vaulted, she sped up really fast.  People think she had dozed off and hit floored the gas.

ETA: She - so far - has 15 felony charges against her and authorities said more will likely be coming, as this is scattered across 3 counties.

Edited March 18, 2022 by funky-rat

[Annber03]

Holy shit, what a terrifying, awful story. I'm glad that nobody was killed by her actions in this case, though I'm sorry to here there were some injuries and some damage. Thank goodness the injuries were treatable, at least. I hope everyone heals and/or is able to rebuild properly.

As for the woman herself - fifteen felony charges, damn. But y'know, she deserves it. Hope all those charges stick and she continues to be held to account as needed. And to all those who apparently have been enabling and covering for her over the years, paying to make all her prior arrests go away, now's the time that needs to stop once and for all. At some point they're going to have to let her take responsibility for her actions, and better to do so now before she gets free and eventually kills somebody. 

[heatherchandler]

1 hour ago, funky-rat said:

On March 4th, I was bringing my mother back home - the end of a long drive and a long day, spent at a show I bought her tickets for at Christmas.  I passed a restaurant on my way home very early in the morning that I've passed 5000 times.  Nothing stood out.

...

OMG!  Yes please post links if you are able.  How awful!

I think there are many people who are secretly/somewhat secretly alcoholics and even friends and family have no idea.  Yeah what medical emergency would cause someone to act like that?  Even if it is a stroke or something incapacitating, the person eventually slumps over, they don't continue to mow people down and then speed up, etc.

[funky-rat]

Sorry for the delay.  A lot going on the past few days.  I just wanted to toss this story out there to show that people can...and do....these things and there are things hiding in their closets no one knew.  Had social media been as big as it is now when this Diane did what she did, we might know more, good or bad.

Here are some links.  We drove by the restaurant yesterday while it was still light out.  You can see where it was on fire, and that it's pretty damaged.

Crash victim reeling after wild wreck in Snyder County | wnep.com

UPDATE Chief: Selinsgrove woman appeared to have been driving erratically prior to vehicle landing on top of restaurant | News | dailyitem.com 

UPDATE Police: Alcohol a factor in Shamokin Dam crash; victims to be debriefed Tuesday | News | dailyitem.com (this site only lets you look at a few articles before paywalling - it's our only local newspaper, and a pain - I'll only post these two  from them)

Shamokin Dam crash caught on camera | wnep.com

Woman arrested after allegedly crashing her car onto roof of Central Pa. Chinese restaurant | PhillyVoice (we're not in the Philly area, but at least the same state, lol)

Woman arrested after wild wreck in Snyder County | wnep.com

Theresa Risso in Custody | Eyewitness News (pahomepage.com)

Supposedly, she was in a rehab somewhere and that's why they couldn't find her, but I'm not convinced.

[heatherchandler]

On 3/21/2022 at 1:20 PM, funky-rat said:

Sorry for the delay.  A lot going on the past few days.  I just wanted to toss this story out there to show that people can...and do....these things and there are things hiding in their closets no one knew.  Had social media been as big as it is now when this Diane did what she did, we might know more, good or bad.

Here are some links.  We drove by the restaurant yesterday while it was still light out.  You can see where it was on fire, and that it's pretty damaged.

Crash victim reeling after wild wreck in Snyder County | wnep.com

UPDATE Chief: Selinsgrove woman appeared to have been driving erratically prior to vehicle landing on top of restaurant | News | dailyitem.com 

UPDATE Police: Alcohol a factor in Shamokin Dam crash; victims to be debriefed Tuesday | News | dailyitem.com (this site only lets you look at a few articles before paywalling - it's our only local newspaper, and a pain - I'll only post these two  from them)

Shamokin Dam crash caught on camera | wnep.com

Woman arrested after allegedly crashing her car onto roof of Central Pa. Chinese restaurant | PhillyVoice (we're not in the Philly area, but at least the same state, lol)

Woman arrested after wild wreck in Snyder County | wnep.com

Theresa Risso in Custody | Eyewitness News (pahomepage.com)

Supposedly, she was in a rehab somewhere and that's why they couldn't find her, but I'm not convinced.

The video is insane.  Getting launched onto a roof.. unbelievable that the child lived.  I’m so sickened.  I know alcoholism is an illness, I truly feel for alcoholics, but I feel no compassion when people drive while drunk.  None.

[monagatuna]

I was so curious how that car could've ended up on the roof of the restaurant...but after seeing the video...wow. I can't believe no one died. I hope the survivor in critical condition makes a full and fast recovery. 

[SunnyBeBe]

Man, that woman above who had alcohol level of .327!  She had to be a very serious drinker to be conscious at that level.  A normal person would be pretty intoxicated at .17.  

[One Tough Cookie]

On 3/1/2022 at 9:05 AM, configdotsys said:

The employees may have gone into cya mode.

He was probably told by the manager/company to zip it.

[One Tough Cookie]

Returning to this topic made me want to re-watch.  We are supposed to get hit with snow tomorrow, so I plan to stay in my pjs and catch up on all things TV

[heatherchandler]

On 1/17/2024 at 5:14 PM, One Tough Cookie said:

He was probably told by the manager/company to zip it.

Yep!  Otherwise why not release it?

[kathe5133]

Every time I see this thread show up I hope there's some word on Bryan or Daniel about where they are now.  I've scoured the web and nothing.  Does anyone know anything about what's happened to them?

 

[One Tough Cookie]

On 1/21/2024 at 8:52 AM, kathe5133 said:

Every time I see this thread show up I hope there's some word on Bryan or Daniel about where they are now.  I've scoured the web and nothing.  Does anyone know anything about what's happened to them?

 

My husband watched it with me and asked the same thing.  I haven't been able to find anything.

I'm still INFURIATED.  I cannot express my still simmering anger about the utter senseless loss of life.  To me, it was suicide/murder, no question.  My husband thinks maybe she didn't realize how impaired she was. I was stunned when he said that.  What sealed it for me was leaving her cell on the bridge and everyone in the oncoming lane mentioned her intense concentration behind the wheel.

Danny's refusal to address the vodka/pot in her system showed out of out of touch and indifferent he was about the situation.

 

It's been almost 15 years since this happened.  I think there was further investigation proving she was intent and the family hushed it up. And I hope Bryan has had enough therapy to get thru life {and away from that piece of shit Danny}.

I have to stop now, I'm getting upset again.