Four people are dead, and nine others are injured after a car crashed into a nail salon in the Deer Park area of Long Island, New York, authorities say. Around 4:32 p.m. on Friday, Steven Schwally, 64, a Dix Hills resident, was driving a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse in Deer Park southbound at a high rate of speed. Schwally then crossed over and continued to speed through a parking lot. He then crashed the vehicle through the front window of Hawaii Nail & Spa, the Suffolk County Police Department said.
Three women and a man were pronounced dead at the scene when a physician assistant from the office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner arrived. Eight victims were transported to local area hospitals and one was airlifted by the Suffolk County police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital, police said. Schwally was also transported to Good Samaritan University Hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. He was charged with driving while intoxicated and will be arraigned once a date is assigned, police said. At last check, the Suffolk County Police Department had not provided an updated status on the victims.
The Suffolk County Police Department has released the names of the four victims killed. They are Jiancai Chen, 37, of Bayside, Queens, Emilia Rennhack, 30, of Deer Park, Yan Xu, 41, of Flushing, Queens, and Meizi Zhang, 50, of Flushing, Queens.
One of the victims that died in the crash was a New York Police Department (NYPD) officer. Emilia Rennhack, 30, of Deer Park, was an officer at the 102nd precinct in Queens. New York broadcast station ABC7NY said her husband is also a NYPD detective. “Rest in Peace NYPD Officer Emilia Rennhack,” Nassau County Executive, Bruce Blakeman, said in a Facebook post. “Officer Rennhack was sadly killed by a drunk driver in Suffolk County. Let us remember her service and sacrifice on behalf of our safety.”
Another Facebook user said Rennhack was getting ready for a wedding before she was killed. “I’m so sorry this happened to you my sister in blue she was getting her nails done for an upcoming wedding when a drunk driver crashed his minivan into the nail salon,” Veronica Watson Figueroa wrote. Other officials asked the public to keep Rennhack and other victims in their thoughts and prayers. “My deepest condolences go out to the family, friends, and co-workers of NYPD Officer Emilia Rennhack, whose life was taken far too soon by a drunk driver while off-duty. We mourn this tragic loss and thank Officer Rennhack for her distinguished service – may she Rest in Peace,” Andrew Garbarino, a former New York State Assemblyman, said in a Facebook post. “Please keep Officer Rennhack, the additional victims of this accident, and their loved ones in your prayers.”
A 20-year-old girl who was a customer at Hawaii Nail & Spa is currently recovering from injuries she sustained from the crash. Her aunt, Virginia Garcia, told CBS News that her niece is “lucky to be alive.” “The lady that was sitting next to her died. So she was more nervous because when she saw that the other lady died, she was like, God saved her life, basically … She’s lucky that she’s alive, actually,” Garcia told the broadcast station. Garcia also told the news station that her niece likely has some broken bones.
At least four people were killed and another nine injured when a driver crashed through the front of a nail salon on Long Island, New York, Friday afternoon, officials said. The incident occurred at 4:42 p.m. local time at the Hawaii Nail & Spa on Grand Avenue in Deer Park in Suffolk County. Dominic Albanese, third assistant chief for the Deer Park Volunteer Fire Department, said in a news briefing that four people were pronounced dead at the scene and nine were rushed to area hospitals, one of whom was airlifted by helicopter. Several people had to be extricated, Albanese said. “It appears a motorist drove through the building, all the way through the building,” Albanese said.
The driver was among those hospitalized and later charged with DWI. The conditions of the injured victims were unknown. Those killed in the crash were inside the building, Albanese said. No names have been released. The vehicle remained lodged deep in the back of the salon for hours, and 150 firefighters and emergency responders were on the scene, Albanese said. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
At least two of the injured victims were customers at the nail salon. Virginia Garcia told CBS New York her 20-year-old niece is among those hurt. Garcia says her niece is in a lot of pain and extremely emotional after the incident. “The lady that was sitting next to her died. So she was more nervous because when she saw that the other lady died, she was like, God saved her life, basically … She’s lucky that she’s alive, actually,” Garcia said. She says her niece most likely has some broken bones. One customer who usually has a standing 4:30 p.m. appointment on Fridays happened to switch days this week. She showed up after hearing the news. “I don’t even know who’s gone, who’s not gone. I just keep picturing their faces in my head,” customer Jasmin Darbouze said.
Witnesses say the driver was leaving the Kohl’s parking lot across the street, swerving around cars, before losing control and careening into the nail salon. “It’s not a car accident. It’s like, you hear glass shattering, you don’t hear like metal-to-metal. It’s not the same sound,” witness Eric Perez said. A chaplain arrived at the scene Friday afternoon, offering a listening ear to victims’ families as well as emergency responders. “If someone wants to speak, if someone wants just to have our presence here, that’s what we come out for,” said Andrea Sampson, with the New York State Chaplain Task Force. “It’s horrible. It’s going to be tough for the community, tough for the volunteer fire department, but we’re going to get through it,” Albanese said.
Source: USA TODAY, ABC7NY, CBS New York
