just like every other weekend or every weekend we go up there. >> daniel schuler defended his wife disputing a recent medical examiner's report that diane schuler was drunk and high when she drove into oncoming traffic on a new york highway. >> she is not an alcoholic. and my heart has rested every night when i go to bed. something medically had to have happened. >> her minivan collided head on with another car. new yorkerguy bastardi was killed along with his 81-year-old father and a 74-year-old friend. the bastardi family's tragedy made worse by the possibly that schuler may have been intoxicated. >> how do you put five children in a car when you're a mother and you're drunk? how do you do that? it's incomprehensible. >> i think anybody that knows contributed to this should be brought to justice. in one way or another. >> it's sad. very sad. upset. i lost my daughter. i lost my wife. all i have is my son. >> are you angry at your wife? >> no, i am not angry at her. >> take us through that morning? >> it was normal. she was fine. we had a cup of coffee in the morning. we packed the cars up

>> cps is looking at daniel schuler. they basically want to know how much he did know that day. did he supply his wife with booze and pot. and it all is because of the 5-year-old brian schuler, the couple's little boy. he is in the hospital right now. he was critically injured. however, he possibly could get out and live back with his father again. but i'm being told by authorities that he could lose custody, the father, of this little boy if it's found out that he knew she was going to drive drunk and high on marijuana. and also, even before this happened, did the -- did diane schuler always drink and smoke pot in their household. >> out to runna, our producer, standing by in west babylon, new york, there at the schuler home. runna, welcome. what can you tell me about admissions, whether intentionally or intentionally made that mommy's not afraid of a joint. she's not afraid of a big fat doobie. >> nancy, it's all very unclear. i'm out here in the neighborhood where this family resides. and i've been knocking on doors, speaking with neighbors. they're being very quiet. however,

. >> the new york state police have told me that when they interviewed daniel schuler about his wife's medical conditions, they also asked him, did she do drugs recreationally, did she drink at all, and what he told them, according to what they told me later, was that she was a social drinker and that she occasionally smoked pot. >> did you know her to go to bars? >> absolutely not. >> did you know her to get drunk and act in a -- >> i never saw her drunk since the day i met her. >> her blood alcohol level was 0.19. most of us would be out, unconscious. there's no way she just started drinking that day, and there's no way she just found some marijuana on the side of the road. i mean, this has been going on. >>> and tonight, a florida beach beauty marries her dream man and the newlyweds all set to live happily ever after until death does them part. what the 26-year-old beauty didn't plan on was the hit man she hires to murder hubby is a cop. that's right. the cops sting the bride on is video. while she breaks down in hysterical tears over her dead husband. this just hours after she puts

daniel schuler spoke out for the first time on thursday. ept the autopsy report that showed his wife was drunk and high. at times schuler was emotional, as he talked about his family and that horrible crash. with his attorney and family around him, daniel schuler met with reporters to say his wife was a responsible woman, who would not drink and drive. >> she is not an alcoholic and my heart is rested every night when i go to bed. something medically had to happen. >> reporter: buttocks cog reports indicate diane schuler downed the equivalent of ten shots of vodka and had smoked marijuana, before her minivan going a wrong way on the highway for almost two miles, then crashed into a suv, killing her and seven others. >> i'm not saying that test is wrong. but something had to happen. this is not a woman who would jeopardize five children. she was the one who chose to always drive. >> reporter: daniel schuler insisted that when he left his wife the morning of the fatal crash, she was fine. schuler's attorney said he may ask for a second, indepe

i think at most what he needs to be concerned with is a civil case. >>> when they interviewed daniel schuler about his wife's medical conditions, they also asked him, did she do drugs recreationally, did she drink at all. and what he told them, she was a social drinker, and she occasionally smoked pot. >> at the time of the crash, she had a blood alcohol of .19 and six grams of undigested alcohol in her stomach. >> there is 1.5 ounces in a shot, and there is no doubt that the woman was drinking from the, you know, the minute she got into the car from mcdonald's until the time she crashed. >> the evidence clearly shows she was highly intoxicated. not only that, she was driving the wrong way. >> straight out to the lines. lori in alabama. hi, lori. >> caller: hi. >> what's your question, dear? >> caller: i just wanted to know, they said that she was camping? was the mother of the nieces with them while they were camping? >> good question. out to rupa, our producer on story. what about it? >> that's right. the family was camping 90 miles north of where the crash site happened, and they were tog

schuler family. i think what drove them over the edge was daniel schuyler's press conference last week saying that it wasn't alcohol or marijuana, that it was diane schuler's alleged medical conditions that caused this accident. that in conjunction with what was happening at the time, it appears that's what caused the hance family to cut ties with the schuler family. >> to eileen lehpamer, with 1010 wins radio. eileen, the family came up with quite a few explanations as to why the crash occurred. >> right. that's the husband, daniel schuler, he said a number of things through his attorney as well, that maybe she had some stroke-like condition that didn't show up in the initial autopsy, or he also suggested that perhaps she had a tooth abscess or a lump in her leg, which they didn't elaborate on, or maybe diabetes, that would be linked to when she was pregnant, although we have no indication that she was pregnant. >> right, gestational diabetes ends with the pregnancy, typically. take a look at the q&a that apparently severed all family ties. this as in a stunning twist tonight, we learn that grainy s

. >> reporter: daniel schuler says no way. he insists his wife was stone cold sober before she drove on new york's taconic parkway in the wrong direction. >> she's not an alcoholic. something medically had to have happened. >> reporter: toxicology results tell another story. >> diane schuler had a blood alcohol content of .19%. the legal limit for intoxication in new york state is .08%. >> reporter: that's the equivalent of ten shots of vodka. >> around that level of alcohol you also start to get what's called tunnel vision where your perception is changed. >> reporter: police discovered a broken absolut bottle in your mini van and test results showed she was high, too, after apparently mixing booze and marijuana. >> this is not a woman who would jeopardize five children. >> reporter: but the pieces seem ily don't add up. schuler was heading home to long island from a family camping trip late last month. driving a minivan filled with young children. two of her own and three nieces. they left around 9:30 a.m., stopping at mcdon

circumstances surrounding the crash so bizarre is that schuler had marijuana and the equivalent of ten drinks in her system, a finding that her husband daniel won't accept. >> i go to bed every night knowing my mind is clear. she not an alcoholic. >> and now those affected by the crash wanted to know if schuler was hiding an addiction, if anyone who knew about it could have stopped her. >> how could other people not know? and these are all questions that my family want to know. want to know the truth. >> but schuler is described by friends and family as a typical suburban mom, a devoted parent with no drinking problem. it's raised the question -- did she have more in common with big stars like michael jackson than anyone could have imagined? ♪ jackson was poised to make a big comeback with 50 sold out performances and doctors gave him a clean bill of health, but what the world and some members of his family didn't know was his alleged addiction to drugs so strong they required medical supervision, usually used by surgeons by anesthesiologists. >> michael would make his mother katherine wait outside the gate three or four hours if he was hig

investigators will focus on her husband, daniel schuler.stion for this morning's early line, who is legally to blame for the tragedy? should diane schuler's husband or brother be responsible? joining us in los angeles is lisa bloom, cbs news legal analyst, from washington wendy murphy and author of "injustice for some" and thomas ruskins, the lead investigator for the schuler family. >> good morning. >> good morning. >> we understand y i'm going to start you off. child protective services announced they're looking into daniel schuler here. where does this come from? how does this affect, i guess, this case? >> that's a good question. was he a neglectful parent for allowing his children to get into that car. child protective services has jurisdiction to ask that question. they have a reason to be concerned if, indeed, he knew his wife either was drinking, was drunk, was high at the time she drove away with his children in the car, or that she had a propensity, a problem, if you will, with alcohol and he knew about it. then he could be held r

daniel's sister-in-law jay schuler.ith you. these autopsy results are adding insult to injury to your family revealing that your sister-in-law was drunk and high as she drove with the five children in the car. what is your feeling about your sister-in-law now that you know this? >> my feeling hasn't changed to diane at all. they- as wonderful, wonderful moer, wonderful -istern-law,de wrfonul nd iefr. friend. i even spokeiterh h lulymitehae w absolutely we have not changed. diane would not do this. this isn't the diane that we know. she was caring, loving, loved children. as i've stated before, i've left my son in her care numerous times, once when i left the country. there is not a doubt in my mind. that's why we need dominic to help us to find out what happened. danny is heartbroken. heart broken for the families. they are in our thoughts and our prayers. we want them to know this is not diane. we would never, never ever let this happen. >> mr. barbara, if i was in the victi family's shoes, i wouldn't want to believe i

this is daniel schuler, again, stating his case that he doesn't believe his wife was a drunk, never saw her drunk. let's give it a listen. >> i go to bed every night knowing and listen to this, i go to bed every night knowing my heart is clear. she did not drink. she's not an alcoholic. listen to all that. she is not an alcoholic. my heart is resting every night when i go to bed. something medically had to happen. >> medically, i believe the family lawyer also speculated it could have been a stroke. anne, what do you see here, a family in denial? >> absolutely. the thing about it could have been a stroke, it would have, could have, should have. the more they explain it, the less i understand it. it is what it is, don't make excuses. the fact is, lives are lives. young lives, they'll never see their futures simply because of what she did, and has to be looked at right now as what it is. no excuses. no excuses for anybody that does this. but this case, horrific. >> mike, can i add one thing? >> yeah, go ahead. >> in the course of my career, i've seen so many people like this, family membe

protective services has launched a full investigation to figure out exactly what happened and how much daniel schuler knew about his wife's drinking and driving. >> the suv questioned how schuler's family could have been oblivious to an alcohol abuse problem. they are consulting with prosecutors. health secretary robert gibbs calls the shouting matches at town hall meetings shocking. opponents are voicing their concerns across the country. >> you work for us! you work for us! you work for us! you work for us! >> conservative activists are vowing to keep up their fight, insisting they are part of a ground-level movement that represents real frustration with government spending and growth. meantime, president obama's defending the plan this morning in his weekly address. >> so let me explain what reform will mean for you, and let me start by dispelling the outland beish rumors that reform will promote euthanasia or cut medicaid or bring about a government takeover of health care. that's simply not true. >> joining me live now from washington, d.c. is erin billings, deputy editor for roll call. good mor

daniel schuler says she must have had some sort of medical problem.he, her 2-year-old daughter and three young nieces were among the victims. >> i go to bed every night knowing and listen to this, i go to bed every night knowing my heart is clear. she did not drink. she's not an alcoholic. >> schuler is disputing an autopsy report that found his wife had more than ten drinks and smoked marijuana before the crash. schueler says a possible stroke could be to blame. >>> a kid helps save his neighbor from drowning in a swimming pool. the boy said he heard a splash and the neighbor's son say he had a seizure. the kid ran into the yard, kept the man's head above the water until more help got there. >> thank god that he's okay and the doctor said that he had no water in his lungs and so that i'm really happy that he's okay. >> well, happy birthday to him, by the way. he turns 12 today. nice job. >>> one of the stars of this summer's nba finals has tested positive for a performance enhancing drug. larry, you don't hear about this with the nba very often. >> n

. >> reporter: an attorney for diane schuler's husband, daniel, told that schuler never had an alcohol problem and that the family is absolutely in shock over the toxicology reports. >> she was not an alcoholic. she rarely had a drink. she got in the van with the childr children. nine witnesses saw her that day not drunk. >> it's hard for me to believe that the family did not know that this woman had an alcohol problem or a drug problem. this could not have manifested itself all of a sudden out of the clear blue sky on that one sunday morning. >> this man loved this woman. he is in a days from all of this. absolutely. >> knob witnessed her drinking. to brad lamb, registered interventionist at www.bradlamb.com. you know, brad, alcoholics or drinkers don't always let you see them boozing it up. i recall having guests stay for the weekend. when they were gone even the mouthwash, it was all gone. somebody gave me a bottle of wine. it was -- i found the bottle in the bathroom towelled, and the mouthwash was all gone. i had no idea. >> look, here is the struggle. you and i know what we would

. >> reporter: meanwhile, daniel schuler has to live with the reality that his wife killed his daughter. >> my little girl's gone. i don't know what else to say about that. >> reporter: still, he says he's not angry with her. and maintains they had a loving marriage. how do you want everyone to remember your wife? >> perfect wife. outstanding mother. hard worker. reliable person. trustworthy. i would marry her again tomorrow. >> reporter: for "good morning america," andrea canning, abc news, garden city, new york. >>> just a few moments ago, i spoke with dominick barbara, the attorney for the schulers. and also, the private attorney, thomas russkin,nd hnder sister-in-law, barbara schuler. how is brian? he was in the car. everybody's concerned about his well-being. >> brian is doing well. he's going to be okay. but it's going to take a little time. he has bumps, bruises, a brain injury. we go to another mri today. we tried to explain to him what happened. but at this point, brian really doesn't want to talk about it. we're going to help with the child life crisis, and the child psycholog

daniel schuler says that the opposite -- the autopsy results are wrong.dly drunk and high. at a press conference with his lawyer late last night, the husband came out and insisted that his wife was not drunk, was not high, and was instead impaired by a medical condition. >> did she have an alcohol problem? did you know her to be drunk? >> i never saw her drunk since the day i met her. megyn: can the wrongful death lawsuit that is coming be defeated by claims that the autopsy was rog? -- was wrong? >> good morning. megyn: this case has riveted not only those in the new york area, but those on a nationwide basis. she leaves a campsite at 9:30 in the morning with her children and winds up four hours later at 1:30 dead along with her son in the hospital. her daughter is dead. she killed three people, to adult men and 116-year-old boy. the carnage is stunning. the medical examiner says it is because she was high and she was drunk. that is the end of the story. the husband is trying to inject some doubt into this. is there any way that he can? >> it is a close

daniel schuler said he never saw his wife drunk.olice claim diane schuler drank at least ten vodkas and smoked some marijuana before driving her minivan into an suv, killing three men inside, schuler's daughter, three of her nieces all dead. the family's attorney says the woman had several medical conditions and may have suffered a stroke while driving. >> they had no marital problems. she was not an alcoholic. she rarely had a drink. she got in the van with the children. nine witnesses saw her that day not drunk with no alcohol breath, no pot breath. >> she was a perfect wife and outstanding mother, hard worker, reliable person, trust worthy. i would marry her again tomorrow. she was awesome. she's the best. >> tell us about your daughter. >> she's my little girl. she's gone. i don't know what else to say about that. >> schulor's 5-year-old son survived the wreck. this was on the state parkway just north of new york and westchester county. >>> president obama is closing in on a big milestone now 200 days in office and it's up to yo

daniel schuler says he doesn't believe the tests that showed his wife was drunk and high. the family says, it was the last thing they expected to hear. >> because we have never known diane to be anything but a responsible and caring mother and aunt. this toxicology report raises more questions than it provides answers for our family. >> reporter: authorities say diane schuler had a blood alcohol level of more than twice the legal limit. and marijuana in her system. yet, her family insists, she was not a drinker or smoker. her husband has hired noted defense attorney,ominick barbaro, who spoke exclusively to new york's fox 5. >> was he is a drinker? >> never. ask if she was a drug taker. never. >> did her husband know she had been drinking that morning? >> absolutely not. >> reporter: the family now believes schuler's diabetes, a stroke, or maybe a tooth acess caused her to make that fatal wrong turn. >> how do you put five children in a car when you're a mother and you're drunk? how do you do that it's incomprehensible. >> reporter: meantime, the families of three of the v

this man right here, daniel schuler had a teary press conference talking about the last kiss with his authorities who was driving drunk, had about 10 ounces of the convince lent of 10 shots of vodka, apparently marijuana in her system and drove the wrong way down the highway and killed eight people. >> i was on the air and one of the most horrifying accidents we've had in the metropolitan area in my long career here and when you heard how she had driven the couple of miles the wrong way on the that honor i can which is a very difficult road to ride, and then this father seems to me this husband seems to me to be in gross denial. this woman, had she survived would be charged with mass murder right now i believe. there is no way you can -- i don't care what disease she had or what preexisting condition, you know, the alcohol content in her body was more than twice the legal limit and she was stoned. and i want to know, there were two swreeks that left the campground, why didn't dad take any of those children with him in that vehicle? i think they were squabling. i think this deserve as

report shows schuler had the equivalent of ten drings and marijuana in her system, which family members say she occasionally smoked. a vodka bottle was found in the van. still, her husband, daniel, won't accept she was drinking. 5-year-old brian schuler, who is now in a rehab facility, was told over the weekend he was the only survivor in the crash. a giant burden for such small shoulders to carry. for "good morning america," andrea canning, abc news, scars dale, new york. >> it does seem with each new piece of information, the mystery only deepens. chris? >>> well, you heard it here first yesterday. tom delay, the former house majority leader, is a new member of the cast of "dancing with the stars." the question is, will tip-toeing around partisan fax and pirouetting on policy points lead to a binning ballroom bounce? that's the question. he may be the biggest surprise ever on "dancing with the stars." >> this next name was the one i went -- you're kidding? >> it is mr. tom delay. the unlikeliest of spotlights for a man known as the hammer, on a very different dance floor. he earned the nickname for his ability to hammer legislation through congress. as former republican major

on july 26th, around 9:30 a.m., schuler loaded the kids into her vehicle and left camp ground in sullivan county, supposedly homeward bound. her husband daniel had gone on a fishing trip, and told investigators that everything had seemed fine. but at 1:02 p.m., schuler called her brother warren to say she felt disoriented. he offered to meet her but lost contact. eyewitnesses reported erratic driving by the minivan, which entered the parkway on an exit ramp, then proceeded to head south in the northbound lane. schuler drove the wrong way for nearly two miles before the ordeal ended with the three-war collision at 1:35. mourners outside our lady of victory church in floral park last thursday heard this heart-wrenching plea from her brother during the funeral for his three daughters, niece and sister. >> love your children. cherish your children. kiss your children. and don't ever forget. >> reporter: meanwhile members of the bestardi family, the father and son killed in the crash, told reporters they are outraged, calling the accident a murder, not a homicide, and now they want to meet with prosecutors to discuss the case. as for the lone sur

schuler family. >> to eileen la palma. 1010 wens radio. the family came up with quite a few explanations as to why the crash occurred. >> well, the husband, daniel shuler said a number of things through his attorney as well that maybe she had stroke-like condition that didn't show up in initial autopsy or he also suggested that perhaps she had a tooth abscess or a lump in her leg which they didn't elaborate on, or maybe diabetes that would be linked to when she was pregnant, although we have no indication that she was pregnant. >> right. gestational diabetes ends with the pregnancy typically. take a look at the q and a that apparently severed all family ties, this as in a stunning twist tonight we learn that grain y fai y fail surveillance has emerged of the drunk mom just before the fatal crash. take a listen. >> prior to getting into that car, she had numerous medical conditions, problems. one of them was an abscess which was almost two months old, which she would not go to the dentist for no matter how much he begged her. there was a swelling and pain on the left side? >> i believe it was, yes. >> she had diabetes at various levels. >> what t