A New York man has been sentenced to 25 years to life in prison after driving an SUV into a crowded Long Island nail salon while heavily intoxicated, killing four people and injuring nine others.
Steven Schwally, 66, of Deer Park, was sentenced on August 12, 2026, after a jury convicted him in June on four counts of second-degree murder and other charges stemming from the June 28, 2024, crash.
SUV Crashed Into Nail Salon at 78 MPH
Prosecutors said Schwally was traveling at approximately 78 mph before his SUV went airborne and crashed into Hawaii Nail & Spa on Grand Boulevard in Deer Park, New York.
Investigators determined that Schwally had been drinking before getting behind the wheel. His blood alcohol concentration was measured at 0.17%, more than twice New York’s legal driving limit of 0.08%.
Authorities said he ran several traffic signals before the vehicle slammed into the salon, where customers and employees were inside. Witnesses described the aftermath as resembling an explosion.
Four people died in the crash, while nine others suffered injuries.
Four Victims Died in the 2024 Crash
The victims included nail salon owner Jian Chai Chen, 37; employees Yan Xu, 41, and Meizi Zhang, 50; and Emilia Rennhack, 30, an off-duty New York City police officer who was visiting the salon.
The tragedy devastated the victims’ families and the Deer Park community. During the sentencing hearing, relatives spoke about the permanent loss caused by the crash and the difficulty of moving forward without their loved ones.
Rennhack’s husband, Carl Rennhack, said the sentence offered some comfort because Schwally would spend the rest of his life behind bars. Other family statements emphasized that no court verdict could restore the lives that were lost.
Prosecutors Point to Drinking Before the Crash
According to prosecutors, Schwally had purchased alcoholic drinks at a liquor store in the same shopping area before the crash. Investigators later found empty bottles in his vehicle and another empty bottle at the motel where he had been staying.
During the sentencing, Schwally apologized to the victims’ families and asked for their forgiveness. However, prosecutors also pointed to an obscene gesture he reportedly made toward photographers outside the courtroom, saying the behavior reinforced their view that he had shown little genuine remorse.
The court ultimately imposed a sentence of 25 years to life in prison, bringing the criminal case to a major conclusion more than two years after the deadly Long Island nail salon crash.
