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 and, if convicted, 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.
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 previously charged with DWI.
"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," Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney said.
Driver allegedly drank 2 bottles of Long Island iced tea
On the day of the crash, Schwally was allegedly drinking in a hotel room and his car after buying two large bottles of an alcoholic Long Island iced tea cocktail, prosecutors said.
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 double the legal limit, prosecutors said.
Schwally allegedly sped through stop signs, a red light and crosswalks, sending pedestrians running for their lives, before crashing into the salon.
Schwally was remanded and his license was suspended. The judge said he will not grant bail.
