Hundreds attend funeral for NYPD officer killed in Long Island nail salon crash
NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y. - A funeral was held Saturday for NYPD Officer Emilia Rennhack.
Rennhack, 30, was killed on June 28 when an alleged drunk driver crashed his SUV into a nail salon in Deer Park on Long Island. She had been getting a manicure on her day off.
The funeral took place at the New Hyde Park Funeral Home on Lakewood Road, where a sea of blue ushered in a final goodbye.
"Those photos of our police officer Emilia tell it all. That infectious smile brought joy to the 102 Precinct stationhouse. She was just a friendly person who was liked by everyone who met her. She was an incredibly hard worker who touched so many lives," Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry said.
Fellow officers held her flag-draped casket, as members of the New Hyde Park community showed up in support.
"I need to be out here to pay my respects to a fellow officer and pay my respects to the family. And I just feel I have to be here," New Hyde Park resident Tom McGowan said.
"I thought I would come to show my respects in this horrible tragedy. Just praying for her and the family," New Hyde Park resident Maurice Salamanca said.
Rennhack had been with the NYPD since 2018 and met her husband, a detective for the 102 Precinct, at work. The couple married last September.
"Here you have a family that came to America from Poland to live out the American dream, and that dream turned into a nightmare ... This tragic loss of losing a young lady like this is just going to impact everyone," Mayor Eric Adams said.
Upgraded charges expected against driver
Prosecutors have charged Steven Schwally, 64, with DWI in the deadly crash. Upgraded charges are expected to be announced.
Schwally told responding officers he had 18 beers the night before the crash, police said. Surveillance video captured the moment of impact.
He has a prior DWI conviction from 10 years ago and is currently being held on $1 million bail.
Three other people were killed in the crash, and nine were severely injured.
