Cover Photo: The County Seal at the DA Library in Riverhead (Credit – Matt Meduri)
Suffolk County was shocked on June 28 as news broke of a DWI-crash at a Deer Park nail salon that killed four, including an NYPD officer.
Steven Schwally, 64, drove his Chevrolet Traverse at 78 miles per hour into Hawaii Nail & Spa located at 794 Grand Boulevard in Deer Park at around 4:30p.m.
Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney (R) (pictured below) revealed a massive list of thirty-eight charges brought against Schwally at a Riverhead press conference last Thursday.
Schwally has been indicted on four counts of murder in the second degree, three counts of assault in the first degree, two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, four counts of manslaughter in the second degree, one count of vehicular manslaughter in the first degree, one count of aggravated vehicular assault, three counts of assault in the second degree, four counts of vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, one county of vehicle assault in the second degree, one count of reckless endangerment in the first degree, six counts of assault in the third degree, one count of reckless driving, and one count of speeding.
“This is a comprehensive indictment and it reflects the defendant’s depraved indifference in causing four fatalities and nine other serious physical injuries,” said Tierney. “This case has had a devastating impact on our community.”
Schwally has reportedly not shown remorse for his actions and continues to assert he has not broken any laws.
Tierney outlined Schwally’s itinerary in the hours leading up to the crash. Schwally had been a resident of the Commack Motor Inn at the time and purchased two 375-milliliter bottles of Montebello Long Island Iced Tea, a 42-proof beverage, at 11:00a.m. that day. Schwally is said to have been a regular at the liquor store just next to the nail salon.
Prosecutors allege that Schwally had been drinking “all day,” and that his blood alcohol content was 0.17, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08, at the time of his arrest.
“He was operating the motor vehicle, despite being intoxicated,” said Tierney. “He began swerving around other vehicles, he disregarded four stop signs, he sped through five crosswalks, nearly hit other pedestrians, and other cars. Then, he ran that red light and went airborne through Grand Avenue prior to crashing directly into the salon.”
Tierney said that witnesses described the sound of the crash as though a “bomb went off or there was an explosion,” followed by debris, dust, and glass strewn about through the smoke. Tierney called it an “absolutely horrific scene.”
One of the four casualties was NYPD Officer Amelia Rennhack, 30, who was at the salon getting a manicure before a wedding.
Nail salon owner Zhen Kai Shen, 37, and two salon employees, Yan Yu, 41, and Mai Zi Zhang, 50, were also killed.
Shen’s wife received serious physical injuries and likely has years of recovery ahead, along with two young children and no source of income in their salon.
Other injuries include that of a twelve-year-old child who suffered a fractured ankle requiring surgery and implementation of hardware into her leg, a customer who was air-lifted for hip surgery, an employee who lost her spleen and received multiple fractures, and six other injuries requiring hospital treatments.
“We allege the defendant was intoxicated at the time of this accident. We detailed in court the defendant’s condition upon his arrest, how witnesses detected an odor of alcohol in his breath; he had slurred speech and bloodshot eyes,” said Tierney. “In addition, they found alcohol in the vehicle itself. There were two empty bottles and one full bottle of the Montebello Long Island Iced Tea cocktail. Thereafter, a search warrant was executed at his residence at the time, at the Commack Motor Inn, and an empty alcohol bottle was found in his hotel room.”
Schwally has been arraigned and is being held without bail. His license has been suspended. The next court date is scheduled for the end of August.
Tierney adds that the purpose for the press conference was not just about the defendant, but about the victims’ families.
“It’s about justice for these victims, but moreover, it’s about raising awareness of what is happening on our roads, not only in Suffolk County, but across our state and across our country,” said Tierney. “It is absolutely unconscionable at this time for anyone to operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated, especially in light of all the rideshare apps we have and all of the avenues people have to make easy, reasonable choices to not endanger people. Unfortunately as we’ve seen over and over again, tragedy ensues.”
Tierney also says that the unusual decision to seek murder charges for Schwally is due to New York’s “inadequate” vehicular crime statutes. He also said that a case such as this one is “extremely fact-specific,” requiring the “marrying of facts of each individual case with the charges available.”
New York Police Benevolent Association (PBA) President Patrick Hendry (pictured above) and other representatives spoke to media outside the Arthur M. Cromarty Building after the press conference held by D.A. Tierney.
“Police officers are in solidarity with all the families of the victims in this horrific tragedy,” said Hendry. “So many shattered lives. We need justice for all of them. As police officers, we didn’t just lose a colleague, we lost a family member. Amelia was loved by the police officers from the 102nd Precinct. Her husband lost his best friend.”
Hendry added that the PBA and the NYPD are “thankful to the prosecutors” in this case.
“We know today is just the beginning. We know there is still a long road to justice in this case and we’re going to be there by the sides of all the families in this case until this individual is convicted, sentenced, and stays behind bars where he belongs.”
