Remembering the Tragedy on the Taconic: 13 years later

July 26 marks the 13th anniversary of the deadliest crash on a Westchester roadway in over 75 years.

News 12 Staff

Jul 26, 2022, 5:11 PM

Updated 804 days ago

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July 26 marks the 13th anniversary of the deadliest crash on a Westchester roadway in over 75 years.
Diane Schuler, of Long Island, was heading south on the northbound Taconic State Parkway in Mount Pleasant when she struck an SUV heading north, killing eight people.
Schuler, her daughter and three nieces were killed. Her son survived the crash.
Guy Bastardi, of Yonkers, his father Michael and family friend Daniel Longo were also killed in the crash.
Toxicology results revealed that Schuler was drunk and had marijuana in her system. Her husband denied those claims.
Since the crash, over 100 wrong signs and do not enter signs have been placed on area parkways. 
Still there have been a number of fatalities over the years caused by wrong-way drivers, and alcohol played a role in many of them.