Driver charged with 28 felonies for deadly Long Island nail salon crash
RIVERHEAD, N.Y. -- Charges are piling up against the man accused of killing four people after he allegedly drove drunk and crashed into a Long Island nail salon.
Steven Schwally now faces 28 felony charges, including four counts of murder. If convicted, Schwally could spend 25 years to life in jail for the fatal crash in Deer Park on June 28.
The salon owner, two employees and Emilia Rennhack, an off-duty NYPD officer, were killed when Schwally's vehicle plowed into the Hawaii Nail & Spa on Grand Avenue. Nine people were injured.
"He definitely needs to pay for what he did, and he should never be bailed out," said Steven Chen, the salon owner's brother. "He should never get out of jail. He's a monster."
Prosecutors seek rare murder charge
People in court Thursday gasped when prosecutors charged Schwally with four counts of second-degree depraved indifference murder -- not manslaughter -- a rare charge for a deadly crash.
The 64-year-old was already charged with DWI, which he pleaded guilty to.
"This case had a devastating impact on our community," Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said. "This was a conscious choice by this defendant to both drive while intoxicated and then operate that motor vehicle with depraved indifference to human life."
Schwally pleaded not guilty to the murder charges.
Driver allegedly drank 2 bottles of Long Island iced tea
On the day of the crash, Schwally was allegedly drinking in the motel room where he lived and inside his car after buying two large bottles of an alcoholic Long Island iced tea cocktail, prosecutors said.
He was allegedly driving around drunk for five hours, sending pedestrians running for their lives, as he swerved through crosswalks and red lights.
"So many shattered lives. We need to get justice for all of them. Emilia was loved by the police officers from the 102 Precinct," said NYPD PBA Pres. Patrick Hendry.
Video shows Schwally at a liquor store where he was a regular customer allegedly buying the drinks.
"Depraved indifference murder is the appropriate charge"
Schwally was allegedly accelerating to 78 mph when he plowed into the salon as workers and customers were enjoying an afternoon. His blood-alcohol level was .17, more than twice the legal limit, prosecutors said.
According to first responders, Schwally showed no remorse. He claimed he was a Marine and did nothing wrong, they said, and never asked about the conditions of the victims buried in the carnage around him.
"In hurling that vehicle at 78 miles an hour through that establishment, depraved indifference murder is the appropriate charge in this case," said Tierney.
Schwally was remanded and his license was suspended. The judge said he will not grant bail.