Lawyer: NY mom in wrong-way crash rarely drank and probably had a stroke

Lawyer: NY mom in wrong-way crash rarely drank

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. — An attorney says the woman who drove drunk and caused a New York highway crash that killed eight people rarely drank.

Dominic Barbara says 36-year-old Diane Schuler wasn’t an alcoholic but was diabetic and may have suffered a stroke before the July 26 crash north of New York City. He says she also had a mouth abscess for several weeks and a bump on her leg.

Schuler’s husband, Daniel, says he never saw her drunk since the day he met her.

Police say Schuler downed more than 10 vodkas and smoked marijuana before her minivan crashed into an SUV. Her 2-year-old daughter and three nieces were killed with her, and three men driving in the SUV. Schuler’s 5-year-old son survived.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP’s earlier story is below.

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (AP) — An attorney says the woman who drove drunk and caused a New York highway crash that killed eight people was diabetic and may have suffered a stroke.

Dominic Barbara says 36-year-old Diane Schuler had diabetes, a mouth abcess for several weeks and a bump on her leg before the July 26 crash north of New York City.

Barbara represents Schuler’s husband, Daniel. He says that “I think she had a stroke of some sort.”

Police say Schuler downed more than 10 vodkas and smoked marijuana before her minivan crashed into an SUV. Her 2-year-old daughter and three nieces were killed with her, and three men driving in the SUV. Schuler’s 5-year-old son survived.