(SUFFOLK COUNTY, N.Y.) – Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney today announced that Steven Schwally, 64, of Deer Park, was found guilty of four counts of Murder in the Second Degree, and additional related charges, after a jury trial, for crashing his vehicle at a high rate of speed into a nail salon while intoxicated, killing four people and injuring nine others.
“Customers and workers went into a nail salon on an ordinary Friday June afternoon and four of them never came home, because Steven Schwally made the selfish choice to drink and drive. Drunken driving is not an accident, it is a deadly serious crime,” said District Attorney Tierney. “I want to acknowledge the strength and dignity shown by the victims’ families throughout this process, and I want to assure them that this office remains committed to seeking justice on their behalf.”
As proved at trial, on June 28, 2024, Schwally left his residence at the Commack Motor Inn, where he lived by himself.
At approximately 11:00 a.m., Schwally visited a liquor store located in the same strip mall as the Hawaii Nail & Spa at 796 Grand Boulevard in Deer Park, where he purchased two bottles of Montebello Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail. He got back into his 2020 Chevrolet Traverse SUV and drove in the Deer Park area throughout the course of the day.
At approximately 4:30 p.m., Schwally drove behind the rear of Kohl’s and Stop & Shop located on Commack Road, near Grand Boulevard in Deer Park. As he came around the north side of the Stop & Shop, he turned left proceeding southbound through the marked travel portion of the lot located in front of the two stores. He then swerved around a car that was making a left-hand turn in front of his vehicle, narrowly missing it. Schwally then entered into the opposite lane of travel where he also swerved to avoid a second car located on the far east shoulder of the roadway. Schwally continued southbound through the parking lot roadway, completely disregarding four stop signs and travelling through five crosswalks at high speeds. At one point, Schwally barely missed hitting two female pedestrians who were walking near a crosswalk in front of the Kohl’s parking lot.
At the end of the parking lot, Schwally approached a vehicle that was stopped in the left southbound lane of travel, waiting at a red light. Schwally continued in the opposite northbound lane of travel and blew through the red light at a high rate of speed. The Chevy Traverse travelled at such a high speed that it caused the vehicle to go airborne. The car then careened across Grand Boulevard and entered the strip mall parking lot where the Hawaii Nail & Spa and the liquor store were located. As the car blasted through the strip mall parking lot, it ploughed through a sign and continued through an empty parking space until it crashed into the salon.
The car drove through the establishment, striking several people and dragging the four victims, before ultimately crashing into the rear wall of the store, where it came to rest. At the time of the impact, there were 14 people inside the business, five employees and nine customers. The aftermath of the scene was described by witnesses as “if a bomb went off” or “an explosion” had occurred. Debris, glass, furniture and other material were littered throughout the interior of the store. Dust and smoke filled the interior, making it hard to breathe.
Four people were killed: Emilia Rennhack, 30, of Deer Park, a patron; Jian Chai Chen, 37, of Bayside, the owner of the business; Yan Xu, 41, of Flushing, an employee; and Meizi Zhang, 50, of Flushing, an employee. Nine others sustained injuries ranging from fractures and internal injuries requiring surgery to lacerations and contusions.
Additionally, a surviving female employee sustained serious physical injury which included loss of her spleen and numerous fractures to her pelvis, sacrum and ribs. A total splenectomy and exploratory laparotomy were performed on her at a local hospital. A 12-year-old patron sustained a fractured right ankle/foot, requiring surgery which included the placement of hardware within her body. Another customer was airlifted to Stony Brook University Hospital where he had surgery for a fractured leg/hip. Six other victims, all of whom were customers, likewise sustained various physical injuries that required treatment at local hospitals.
Upon being extricated from the vehicle, Schwally was put on a stretcher and taken to a local hospital for medical treatment. Schwally was observed to be intoxicated, having an odor of alcohol on his breath, slurred speech, bloodshot/watery eyes, and he appeared agitated at times. A search warrant was obtained for the blood taken from Schwally upon his entrance to Good Samaritan Hospital. Laboratory Analysis conducted by the Suffolk County Crime Laboratory revealed a blood alcohol content of .17%.
Additionally, a search warrant was obtained for Schwally’s vehicle, including the event data recorder which revealed Schwally was traveling 78 mph when it went airborne across the intersection of Grand Boulevard. Investigators executing search warrant recovered two empty 375-mililiter bottles of Montebello Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail and one full bottle on the front passenger floorboard area of the vehicle, and an additional empty bottle from the bathroom trash at his hotel room at the Commack Motor Inn where he was residing at the time.
On June 4, 2026, Schwally was convicted after a jury trial heard before Supreme Court Justice Richard Ambro of the following charges:
- Four counts of Murder in the Second Degree, Class A felonies;
- Three counts of Assault in the First Degree, Class B violent felonies;
- Two counts of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, Class B felonies;
- Four counts of Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Class C felonies;
- One count of Vehicular Manslaughter in the First Degree, a Class C felony;
- One count of Aggravated Vehicular Assault, a Class C felony;
- Three counts of Assault in the Second Degree, Class D violent felonies;
- Four counts of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Class D felonies;
- One count of Vehicular Assault in the First Degree, a Class D felony;
- Two counts of Driving While Intoxicated, Unclassified misdemeanors;
- Four counts of Assault in the Third Degree, Class A misdemeanors; and
- One count of Reckless Driving, an Unclassified misdemeanor;
Schwally is due back in court on August 12, 2026, for sentencing and faces up to 25 years to life in prison. He is being represented by Christopher Cassar Esq.
This case is being prosecuted by Bureau Chief Carl Borelli and Assistant District Attorney Alexander Bopp of the Vehicular Crime Bureau, with assistance from Discovery Expeditor Margaret McKeever and investigative assistance from Detective Brian Whitehead of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Major Case Unit.