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The Long Island incident happened at around 4:30 p.m. Friday, June 28, in the hamlet of Deer Park.
Suffolk County Police said Steven Schwally, age 64, of Dix Hills, was speeding southbound through a Kohl’s parking lot, near Commack Road and Grand Boulevard, before he crossed Grand Boulevard and crashed through the front window of Hawaii Nail & Spa.
The collision killed the salon’s 37-year-old owner, Jiancai Chen, of Bayside, Queens, and off-duty NYPD officer Emilia Rennhack, age 30, of Deer Park.
Two others, 41-year-old Yan Xu and 50-year-old Meizi Zhang, both of Flushing, Queens, also died at the scene.
Nine others were transported to local hospitals:
- Five by ambulance to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip;
- Three by ambulance to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore;
- One was airlifted via Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital.
Schwally was also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, police said. He was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and was scheduled to be arraigned in Suffolk County Court on Monday, July 1.
Fox 5 reports that Schwally pleaded guilty to another DWI charge in 2013 and was sentenced to three years of probation.
On Sunday, June 30, Hawaii Nail & Spa posted surveillance video of the crash on its Instagram page. The footage shows the SUV speeding past several parked cars before slamming into the building.
Chen’s wife remains in critical condition with injuries that are expected to take years to recover from, his nephew, Vincent Zheng, said on a GoFundMe campaign to help the family with medical and other expenses.
“My uncle left behind two very young children, a 10-year-old and a 5-year-old,” Zheng said. “With the shop completely destroyed and their mother suffering from critical back and hip injuries, the family has lost their only source of income.”
The fundraiser has collected over $15,000. Those who wish to donate can do so here.
A separate GoFundMe campaign is raising money for the family of Xu, who was an employee at the salon. She leaves behind a 12-year-old son and a 70-year-old father who relied on her for financial support, organizer Shihua Yang said.
Ebony McArthur, one of Xu's longtime customers, said the beloved employee worked on her nails just hours before the crash.
"It’s unbelievable that I sat with you for my nails hours prior and now you’re gone," she said on GoFundMe. "There are no words….thank you for your friendship, your jokes, your talent, and most of all your light from your life. I will miss you always."
Meanwhile, tributes continue to pour in for Rennhack, a recent newlywed who joined the NYPD in 2018 and worked out of the department’s 102nd Precinct serving Queens. She was getting her nails done when the crash occurred.
“You were such an amazing, sweet young woman. You just got married and had your life ahead of you,” Paulina Stepanaov wrote on Facebook. “So tragic, you did not deserve this.”
Writing in another post, Stephanie Czerwinski remembered Rennhack as “the kindest, most beautiful soul.”
Funeral services for Rennhack are scheduled for noon Saturday, July 6, at New Hyde Park Funeral Home on Lakeville Road.
A candlelight vigil for the victims is set for 7 p.m. Monday, July 1, outside of the salon.
This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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