Steven Schwally trial: Guilty verdict in crash that killed 4 inside Long Island nail salon
DEER PARK, Long Island (WABC) -- A jury found Steven Schwally, the man accused of drinking and plowing his SUV into a Long Island nail salon, guilty Thursday on all charges, including four counts of second-degree murder.
The deadly Deer Park crash happened in June 2024. Surveillance video captured the moment when prosecutors say Schwally's Chevy Traverse plowed through the front glass doors of the Hawaii Nail Spa as employees and customers sat inside.
Prosecutors say Schwally's speech was slurred, eyes were bloodshot and his breath smelled of alcohol at the time of his arrest. Surveillance video shows him allegedly buying alcohol hours before the crash. The now 66-year-old's blood alcohol content at the time was .17, according to prosecutors - more than twice the legal limit.
In court Thursday, the second day of deliberations, jurors heard a readback of Det. Brian Whitehead's testimony. He described Schwally's statement after the crash from Good Samaritan Hospital. Schwally allegedly said he drank until 3 or 4 in the morning the night before and that he didn't remember much about that day, but he did recall being in the nail salon in his car with the airbags deployed.
He was convicted later in the afternoon. Other charges included assault, aggravated vehicular homicide and DWI.
The four victims included the owner of the salon Ken Chen, two employees, Yan Xu and Meizi Zhang, and Emilia Rennack, a 34-year-old off-duty NYPD officer.
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