A Long Island man accused of steering his SUV straight through a crowded Deer Park nail salon and killing four people in June 2024 is heading to trial this week. The crash tore through the front of Hawaii Nail & Spa and left nine others in the hospital, a trauma that has hung over the neighborhood for months. Now a Suffolk County jury will hear prosecutors lay out what they call an alcohol-fueled rampage.
Jury Selection And A Rejected Plea
Jury selection quietly got underway last week in Riverhead. Earlier this month, the defendant turned down a plea deal that would have sent him to prison for 22 years to life, according to News 12 Long Island. Court officials say they expect to move briskly through witness lists once a full panel is seated.
What Prosecutors Say Happened
Prosecutors say 64-year-old Steven Schwally was drunk as he sped through two parking lots before smashing his SUV into the salon. Surveillance video allegedly shows him buying two large bottles of a premixed Long Island iced tea cocktail shortly before the crash, CBS New York reported. They also contend he hit roughly 78 mph and later recorded a blood-alcohol level of 0.17, more than twice the legal limit.
The Victims And The Aftermath
The June 28, 2024 collision killed four people inside the salon: Jiancai Chen, 37, Yan Xu, 41, Meizi Zhang, 50, and off-duty NYPD Officer Emilia Rennhack, 30, authorities said. The storefront remained gutted for hours as investigators worked the scene, and families have since organized memorials and fundraising campaigns for survivors, according to ABC News.
How The Defense Plans To Fight Back
Schwally’s attorney has signaled he will mount an aggressive defense. He says he provided medical records showing a prior right-leg injury and surgical hardware that could have made it hard for Schwally to lift his foot off the gas pedal, according to Patch. The defense has indicated it will attack the prosecution’s timeline and argue over what actually caused the deadly impact.
Stack Of Charges And Possible Prison Time
Schwally has been indicted on dozens of counts. Prosecutors say there are 38 charges in all, including four counts of second-degree murder, after what authorities describe as a deliberate use of a 5,000-pound vehicle to kill, according to FOX 5 NY. Local coverage notes that the murder counts alone carry potential decades-to-life sentences; judges have said Schwally could face roughly 25 years to life on the most serious charges if he is convicted, News 12 Long Island reported.
Civil Suits And A Community In Limbo
On top of the criminal case, survivors and relatives of the dead have filed civil lawsuits targeting Schwally and the liquor store that sold him the bottled cocktails, according to Patch. The salon has remained closed, and a roadside memorial outside has continued to grow with flowers, candles and photos, as documented by CBS New York.
As opening statements begin this week, jurors are expected to see both the surveillance videos and the medical records that prosecutors say connect Schwally’s drinking to the crash. Local reporting indicates the trial could stretch on for weeks as lawyers call witnesses and expert analysts, with grieving families and the wider Deer Park community watching closely for answers and accountability, according to FOX 5 NY.
