An unfortunate incident occurred on Long Island when a driver crashed his SUV into a nail salon, resulting in the tragic deaths of four individuals and injuries to nine others. The driver, identified as Steven Schwally, admitted to authorities that he had consumed 18 beers the night before the accident, as reported by affiliate WABC.
Upon police arrival at the scene, Schwally displayed signs of intoxication, with a strong smell of alcohol, bloodshot eyes, and slurred speech, according to court documents. The 64-year-old resident of Dix Hills was charged with DWI and pleaded not guilty during his arraignment at Suffolk County Court. He was ordered to be held on a $1 million cash or $2 million bond.
Prosecutors revealed that Schwally had stopped drinking at 4 a.m. on the day of the incident after consuming 18 beers. He is currently being represented by the Suffolk County Legal Aid Society.
The victims of this tragic event included Jiancai Chen, Yan Xu, Meizi Zhang, and Emilia Rennhack. Rennhack, a 30-year-old off-duty NYPD officer, was at the salon for a nail appointment ahead of a colleague's wedding, as reported by the law enforcement crowdsourcing website Fund the First.
Chen, who was the manager at Hawaii Nail & Spa, was working alongside Xu and Zhang on the day of the accident. Chen leaves behind two children, and his wife, who was also injured in the crash. A GoFundMe campaign has been initiated by Chen's nephew to support the family during this difficult time.
