Drunk driver found guilty in Deer Park nail salon crash that killed 4 people, including off-duty NYPD officer
A driver was found guilty of murder Thursday for a crash at a Long Island nail salon that killed four people, including an off-duty police officer. Nine other people were injured in the crash.
Steven Schwally was convicted of all charges, including second-degree murder, by jurors who watched heart-stopping video of the high-speed crash in his trial for drunkenly ramming his car into the Hawaii Nail Salon and Spa in Deer Park on June 28, 2024.
Victims' families react to guilty verdict
There were collective gasps and sobs inside the Riverhead courtroom when loved ones of the victims -- salon owner Jiancai Chen, employees Yan Xu and Meizi Zhang, and off-duty NYPD officer Emilia Rennhack -- heard the verdict.
Many of Rennhack's police colleagues and her widow, NYPD Detective Carl Rennhack, attended the trial at every turn.
"[Emilia's] husband lost his best friend," PBA President Patrick Hendry said. "As police officers, we will never forget our sister, Police Officer Emilia Rennhack. We will carry on all of the positive choices that she made."
Defendant not in court for verdict
Schwally was not present in the courtroom to hear the guilty verdict. He suffered a heart attack late last month and has been absent from court since.
"Testimony that he had to listen to that was not true, tried to paint him as an evil person, which is not true. He could not take that stress anymore," defense attorney Christopher Cassar said.
Schwally's blood-alcohol level was .17, more that twice the legal limit, on the day of the crash. He made a trip to a liquor store for Long Island iced tea, then barreled through a parking lot at 78 miles per hour and crashed into the salon on Grand Ave.
Cassar had argued Schwally was a handicapped driver whose right leg locked up on the gas pedal when the crash happened, and that his blood alcohol test was inaccurate.
The defense also claimed a video of the crash shows he tried to avoid the accident.
Jurors exhausted after emotional trial
Jurors appeared emotionally exhausted after the verdict.
"I am hoping that there is some type of closer for all of the families that sat behind us, because we felt it too," one juror said.
"We're very thankful for the jury's verdict today, they ratified the fact this was not an accident. This was a crime," Chief Assistant Suffolk County District Attorney Allen Bode.
Prosecutors said Schwally must attend his sentencing on Aug. 12. He faces 27 years-to-life in jail after turning down a 22-years-to-life plea deal.
