A 64-year-old New York man accused of drunkenly crashing his Chevrolet SUV into a nail salon, killing four people and injuring nine more, had drunk 18 beers the morning before the crash, prosecutors said at his arraignment on Monday, local reports said.
According to Suffolk County police, when officers arrived at Hawaii Nail Salon and Spa in Deer Park, they found Steven Schwalli, of Dix Hills, with “bloodshot and vacant eyes” and slurred speech.
Schwary was said to have “constricted pupils” and responding officers noted an odor of alcohol on his breath.
‘It’s heartbreaking’: Drunk driver crashes into nail salon, killing four, including off-duty NYPD officer
Steven Schwalley appears for arraignment in First District Court in Central Islip, New York, on Monday, July 1, 2024. Schwalley was the driver of a vehicle that crashed into a nail salon on Long Island, killing four people and injuring nine. (James Carbone/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
Witnesses told police they heard a “loud explosion.” Newsday reportedHe quoted Assistant District Attorney Alexander Bopp as saying:
“It looked like a bomb had gone off,” Mr Bopp told the court. “Bodies were everywhere. Several people, including the two who were killed, had to be carried out from under the bomb. [Schwally’s] vehicle.”
Authorities identified the three who died as business owner Chen Jiancai, 37, and employees Yan Xu, 41, and Zhang Meizi, 50. Nine people were hospitalized, including a 12-year-old girl.
Car crashes into nail salon in New York, killing and injuring multiple people
Emilia Lenhack (left) was inside Hawaii Nail Salon & Spa in Deer Park, New York, when a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse crashed into the front of the store in what appears to be a drunk driving accident. Lenhack and three others were killed and nine were injured. (NYPD/Peter Gerber)
The fourth victim, who died from her injuries, was 30-year-old NYPD officer Emilia Renhack, who had been to a nail salon in preparation for a colleague’s wedding.
Lenhack’s husband is an NYPD detective and was in tears during Schwalli’s arraignment on Monday. New York Post report.
Carl Renhack, husband of Emilia Renhack, leaves the courtroom after attending Steven Schwallie’s arraignment in First District Court in Central Islip, New York, on July 1, 2024. Emilia Renhack was an off-duty NYPD officer who was killed when the car driven by Schwallie crashed into a nail salon on Long Island. (James Carbone/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
Video from the scene showed dozens of police and emergency vehicles, and large areas of the shopping center were sealed off while authorities digged through the rubble and transported victims to local hospitals.
“It sounded like glass breaking, but it wasn’t a car crash, it sounded like metal hitting metal,” witness Eric Perez told Fox News Digital. “It was something I’d never heard before.”
Prosecutors said the vehicle was airborne before the crash, and police earlier said it did not stop until it reached the other side of the building.
Emilia Renhack and her husband Carl are pictured together during the event. (Simonsen Foundation/Facebook)
According to court documents, the suspect consented to a blood alcohol content test, nearly five hours after the crash, and test results are not yet available.
Schwarie, who appeared in court in a wheelchair and wearing a hospital gown, pleaded not guilty Monday to first-offense drunk driving, according to court records.
He was being held on $1 million cash bail, $2 million insured bail or $5 million uninsured bail.
A vehicle crashed into Hawaii Nail & Spa in Long Island, New York. (Peter Gerber)
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Schwalli’s address is registered to Dix Hills, but his lawyer said in court that he is unemployed and had been living in a hotel until recently.
He is due to appear in court again on Friday.
He will likely face additional, more serious charges.
Fox News’ Bree Stimson contributed to this report.
