Survivor of Deer Park nail salon crash that killed 4, files lawsuit
DEER PARK, Long Island (WABC) -- One of the survivors of a horrific nail salon crash on Long Island that killed four people and injured nine others, is now filing a lawsuit.
The faces of the victims still stand, hanging high over a once gaping hole, still deeply embedded in the hearts of the Deer Park community.
"I'm just like wow, it's upsetting. It really is," said Deer Park resident Marcy Carlin.
Four people were killed, and nine others were hurt at Hawaii Nail and Spa after a minivan barreled through.
"Obviously, they didn't know what just happened because it all happened so fast," said Deer Park Fire Department Assistant Chief Dominck Albanese.
Albanese was first on the scene.
"It seemed like something out of a movie, almost like a bomb went off," he said. "Because the broken glass and the water from the foot baths in the nail salon and the smell of acetone. It was really surreal you know, nothing we've ever experienced before."
The trauma is still felt for the survivors. One of them is a 54-year-old woman from Dix Hills, who was getting a pedicure at the time of the crash. She's filing a lawsuit, now suing the liquor store next door for allegedly selling alcohol to the driver.
Steven Schwally, 64, of Dix Hills, was charged with DWI, after prosecutors said he had 18 beers before the crash.
She's also suing the surviving owner of the nail salon, and shopping complex owner for not installing safety barriers in front of the salon.
"Do any shopping center really have barriers; I mean I don't know. I'm not being pro or against it. I'm sure something could've been prevented," Carlin said.
Meanwhile, Deer Park volunteer firefighters will be among dozens of first responders honored by the town of Babylon.
"The resources throughout Suffolk County between the Suffolk County Police Department, Suffolk County Fire Rescue, Suffolk County EMS, the assets that we use, the support that we got from Suffolk County as a whole was tremendous," said Deer Park Fire Department Chief Robert Macaluso.
Eighty people will be honored at Monday's ceremony, which will be held about a mile away at the Deer Park Fire Department.
The ceremony starts at 7:30 p.m.
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