Drunken Driver Gets 25-to-Life for Nail Salon Horror That Killed Four

A drunken driver who turned his SUV into a two-ton missile before smashing into a Deer Park nail salon and killing four people will spend 25 years to life behind bars.

Steven Schwally, 66, was sentenced Tuesday after a Suffolk County jury convicted him in June of four counts of second-degree murder and a slew of other charges stemming from the horrific June 28, 2024 crash at Hawaii Nail & Spa.

“Steven Schwally drank until his blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit,” Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney said. “He chose to get behind the wheel of an SUV, run four stop signs and speed through a red light, crashing his two-ton vehicle into a room full of people.”

Prosecutors said Schwally bought two bottles of Montebello Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail that morning before driving around Deer Park.

By 4:30 p.m., authorities said, Schwally was barreling through a shopping center, swerving around vehicles, blowing four stop signs, racing through five crosswalks and nearly striking two pedestrians.

His Chevrolet Traverse then blasted through a red light and reached 78 mph before going airborne across Grand Boulevard and plowing into the salon.

The deadly crash killed off-duty NYPD Officer Emilia Rennhack, 30; salon owner Jian Chai Chen, 37; and employees Yan Xu, 41, and Meizi Zhang, 50. Nine others were injured.

Witnesses described the demolished salon as looking “if a bomb went off,” with glass, furniture and debris scattered throughout the business.

Tests showed Schwally had a blood alcohol content of 0.17 percent, prosecutors said.

“Four families are now living with the deadly consequences,” Tierney said.

Supreme Court Justice Richard Ambro imposed the 25-years-to-life sentence Wednesday. Schwally had also been convicted of assault, aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter, drunken driving and reckless driving charges.