LONG ISLAND, N.Y. (TCN) — A 66-year-old man who drove drunk and crashed his car into the side of a nail salon, killing four people, has been found guilty of all charges brought against him.
On June 4, Steven Schwally was found guilty on 30 charges related to the 2024 incident, including four counts of second-degree murder, WNYW reports. He was not present in court because he had reportedly recently had a massive heart attack.
On the afternoon of June 28, 2024, Schwally was reportedly driving drunk when he crashed his car into Hawaii Nails and Spa, a nail salon in a strip mall in Deer Park, New York. Witnesses at the scene said the crash caused a violent explosion, sending bodies went everywhere, according WNYW. After the crash, Schwally reportedly said, “I haven’t broken any laws, I’m a Marine.”
Killed in the crash were Emilia Rennhack, an off-duty officer with the New York Police Department, and salon employees Jiancai “Ken” Chen, Yan “Jenny” Xu, and Meizi Zhang, per WNYW. CBS News reports nine others were injured in the incident, and WABC reports that the four dead victims were stuck under Schwally’s car.
According to CBS, Schwally’s blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit. According to prosecutors, he had consumed 18 beers the night before, WPIX reports.
In court, Schwally’s defense argued that he was a handicapped driver whose right leg locked up and the blood alcohol test given to him was incorrect, CBS reports.
Detective Brian Whitehead testified in court that Schwally told him he had drank until 3 a.m. or 4 a.m. the previous night and did not remember much, but did remember being at the salon in his car and that the airbags had deployed, per WABC. According to the outlet, jurors saw surveillance video in which Schwally’s car crashed into the salon at 78 miles per hour.
According to WVIT, Schwally had a previous DWI conviction in 2013.
CBS reports Schwally is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 12 and faces 27 years to life behind bars; he had turned down a plea deal that offered 22 years to life behind bars.
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