Video shows Long Island nail salon crash moment of impact
CENTRAL ISLIP, N.Y. -- The man accused of driving while intoxicated and crashing into a nail salon on Long Island, killing four people, appeared in court Monday.
Steven Schwally, 64, is charged with DWI. The charges are expected to be upgraded.
Meizi Zhang, 50, Yan Xu, 41, Jiancai Chen, 37, and off-duty NYPD officer Emilia Rennhack, 30, were all killed in Friday's crash. Ten other people, including a 12-year-old girl and Schwally, were hospitalized.
Authorities say Schwally, of Dix Hills, was behind the wheel of his 2020 Chevy Traverse when it barreled through the parking lot and slammed into Hawaii Nail and Spa. Prosecutors detailed the seconds leading up to the crash, saying Schwally:
- "Accelerated at a high rate of speed."
- "Drove in the opposite lane of travel."
- "Nearly struck pedestrians."
- "Continued through the intersection, went airborne" into the packed nail salon.
In the criminal complaint, prosecutors say when Schwally was interviewed after the crash he had "bloodshot and glassy eyes," as well as slurred speech and "a smell of alcoholic beverage emanated from his breath."
Prosecutors claim Schwally said he had 18 beers the night before and stopped drinking at 3 a.m. The results of a blood-alcohol test are pending.
Schwally appeared in court Monday in a wheelchair and wearing hospital clothes. He was previously convicted of DWI 10 years ago. He lives at a motel, but is looking for a residence, his attorney said.
Schwally is being held on $1 million bail.
The families of several of the victims sat just feet away from Schwally in the courtroom, including the young widower of Rennhack.
Deadly crash caught on video
Video posted on social media shows the moment of impact. The brief video shows a side view from a surveillance camera as the vehicle zooms straight into the front of the salon, followed by a cloud of dust shooting out from the inside of the spa.
The vehicle traveled all the way through the building and remained stuck in the back of the salon for hours.
Emotional outpouring of support
Tears streamed from the brother and sister of the salon's co-owners, Chen, who was killed, and his wife, Wen Jun, who's in critical condition. They have two children, 10 and 5. The family has started a GoFundMe, saying the spa was their sole source of income.
"I still can't believe it. He's such a nice person. He brought a lot of happiness to our family and friends," brother Steven Chen said.
Yan Xu was a devoted daughter and mother, sending money earned at the salon back to China to her son with polio and her mother with Alzheimer's.
"They are the greatest people. They are so family-oriented. It's unbelievable. It's sad, and it's a big, big loss," Deer Park resident Mike McClorey said.
"My heart is just broken. Just living in the community, and alcohol kills everybody," one area resident said.
"It's insane. You would never expect this to happen. They were like family to us, and it's just heartbreaking, 'cause you come here to relax, to spoil yourself, to pamper yourself, and this tragedy happens," customer Patricia Castillo said.
"I just lost a friend of mine's son to alcoholism. It's a disease. There's no doubt about that. But don't get in your car and drive. He killed four people -- a New York City cop. She's 30 years old, just married in September. My son's a Nassau County police officer, my stepson. I worry every day that he's out there," area resident Jimmy Punda said.
"Losing a member of the NYPD has been especially heartbreaking for the officer's family and her husband, who, as you probably know, works at that same precinct, and they were just recently married," Rep. Grace Meng said.
Communities from Queens to Suffolk are coming forward to help.
"This is the story of Flushing. This is the story of immigrants. We have an NYPD police officer taken from us. Small business owners, immigrants, follow the American dream, all taken away by a reckless driver," Assemblyman Ron Kim said.
Visas for family members living abroad are being obtained so they can attend funerals of the victims.
Rennhack's visitation and funeral is set for this Friday and Saturday in New Hyde Park, the police union said.
Candlelight vigil held at the salon
There was a huge show of support on Monday night.
People continued to stop by the boarded up nail salon and add to the growing memorial, leaving flowers, candles, pictures and messages that showed the impact the victims had on the community.
They packed the parking lot outside salon, clenching onto candles and memories.
"I think it says a lot about them," customer Patty Burkhart said.
Some of the victims' family members arrived late to the vigil and were inconsolable.
