Four people, including an off-duty New York Police Department officer, were killed and nine others were injured when a drunken driver crashed his SUV into a Long Island nail salon on Friday afternoon. The incident occurred at around 4:30 p.m. in Deer Park, near the intersection of Grand Boulevard and Commack Road.
The deceased officer has been identified as Emilia Rennhack, who was assigned to the 102nd Precinct in Queens. She had stopped at Hawaii Nail & Spa to get her nails done for a wedding later that night when the crash occurred. The other victims killed were Jiancai Chen, Yan Xu, and Meizi Zhang.
Steven Schwally, 64, of Dix Hills was charged with driving while intoxicated in connection to the crash. He was taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. According to reports, Schwally had previously pleaded guilty to a charge of driving under the influence in April 2014.
The Suffolk County Police Department is investigating the crash and asks anyone with information to contact their major case unit.
The victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Nine other people, including Schwally, were transported to hospitals for treatment of injuries. The extent of their injuries is not known at this time.
The incident caused significant damage to the nail salon and nearby businesses. Witnesses reported seeing multiple ambulances and helicopters on the scene.
This tragic incident serves as a reminder of the dangers of driving under the influence. Our thoughts go out to the families and loved ones of those affected by this senseless act.
