Steven Schwally, 66, of Deer Park, was sentenced today to 25 years to life in prison for ramming his vehicle into a manicure shop while inebriated and speeding in June 2024, killing four people and wounding several more. After a jury trial in June 2026, the defendant was found guilty of four counts of second-degree murder and other related crimes.
“Steven Schwally drank until his blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit.” District Attorney Tierney stated that he chose to drive an SUV, run four stop signs, and race thru a red light, driving his two-ton car into a crowded room. “Four families are now dealing with the terrible repercussions, including those of an off-duty New York City police officer. We have now secured justice for these families and survivors who are still dealing with the consequences of the defendant’s actions.”
The trial evidence indicated that on June 28, 2024, Schwally left his room at the Commack Motor Inn, where he lived alone.
Schwally went to a liquor store in the same strip mall as the Hawaii Nail & Spa at 796 Grand Boulevard in Deer Park around 11:00 a.m. and bought two bottles of Montebello Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail. He returned to his 2020 Chevrolet Traverse SUV and spent the remainder of the day driving about Deer Park.
Schwally drove erratically thru the parking lot in front of Kohl’s and Stop & Shop on Commack Road about 4:30 p.m. He swerved passed two automobiles, entered the opposite lane, violated four stop signs, accelerated thru five crosswalks, and nearly avoided hitting two pedestrians near the Kohl’s crosswalk.
At the end of the parking lot, Schwally approached a car that had come to a complete stop. Schwally continued to drive in the opposite lane and accelerated thru a red light to pass the car in front of him. His Chevrolet Traverse accelerated so quickly that it became airborne.
The SUV then careened across Grand Boulevard, into the strip mall parking lot. Schwally’s truck went thru a sign and into an empty parking space before colliding into the manicure parlor.
The SUV struck several people inside the salon and pulled the four victims before smashing into the store’s rear wall. There were 14 persons inside the shop at the time of the impact, including five employes and nine customers. Witnesses characterized the scene’s aftermath as “if a bomb went off” or “an explosion”. Debris, glass, and furniture littered the inside of the store. Dust and smoke filled the room, making it difficult to breathe.
Four persons were killed: Emilia Rennhack, 30, of Deer Park, a patron and an off-duty New York City police officer; Jian Chai Chen, 37, of Bayside, the business’s owner; Yan Xu, 41, of Flushing, an employe; and Meizi Zhang, 50, of Flushing. Nine people were injured, ranging from fractures and internal injuries that required surgery to lacerations and contusions.
Schwally was sent to a nearby hospital after being extricated from the vehicle. He was found to be inebriated, with an odor of alcohol on his breath, slurred speech, and bloodshot, watery eyes.
A search order was acquired for the defendant’s blood, which was drawn upon his admission to Good Samaritan University Hospital. A blood alcohol content of 0.17 percent was discovered during laboratory testing, more than double the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
A search warrant obtained for Schwally’s vehicle revealed that the defendant was driving at
When it went airborne across the Grand Boulevard intersection, it was going 78 mph. Investigators carrying out the search request discovered two empty 375-milliliter bottles of Montebello Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail and one full bottle on the front passenger floorboard. An extra empty bottle was found in the bathroom garbage of his Commack Motor Inn hotel room.
On June 4, 2026, Schwally was convicted of the following counts by a jury trial before Supreme Court Justice Richard Ambro:
- Four counts of Murder in the Second Degree, Class A felonies;
- Three counts of Assault in the First Degree, Class B violent felonies;
- Two counts of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, Class B felonies;
- One count of Aggravated Vehicular Assault, a Class C felony;
- Three counts of Assault in the Second Degree, Class D violent felonies;
- Four counts of Vehicular Manslaughter in the Second Degree, Class D felonies;
- Two counts of Driving While Intoxicated, Unclassified misdemeanors;
- Four counts of Assault in the Third Degree, Class A misdemeanors; and
- One count of Reckless Driving, an Unclassified misdemeanor.
On August 12, 2026, Schwally was sentenced to 25 to life in prison. He was represented by Christopher Cassar, Esq.
Bureau Chief Carl Borelli and Assistant District Attorney Alexander Bopp of the Vehicular Crime Bureau prosecuted this case, with Discovery Expeditor Margaret McKeever and Detective Brian Whitehead of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Major Case Unit providing investigative assistance.
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