A Lengthy Island man was charged with driving whereas intoxicated after driving an S.U.V. by means of a nail salon on Friday afternoon, leaving 4 folks lifeless and 10 injured, in accordance with the Suffolk County police.
The driving force, Steven Schwally, 64, crashed by means of the entrance window of Hawaii Nail and Spa in Deer Park, a hamlet within the city of Babylon, N.Y., round 4:30 p.m. Friday, the police stated. The police recognized the individuals who had been killed as Jiancai Chen, 37, of Bayside, Queens; Yan Xu, 41, of Flushing, Queens; Meizi Zhang, 50, additionally of Flushing; and Emilia Rennhack, 30, of Deer Park. They had been pronounced lifeless on the scene by emergency medical employees.
Ms. Rennhack was an off-duty Queens police officer. She had been a member of the police pressure for greater than 5 years and served within the 102nd Precinct in Central Queens. Her husband is a detective in the identical precinct.
Mr. Schwally, who lived in Dix Hills, N.Y., suffered accidents that weren’t life-threatening and was taken to a hospital in West Islip, N.Y. He remained hospitalized Saturday night. The 9 different folks injured included a 12-year-old lady, seven girls and one man, in accordance with police.
One of many individuals who was injured was taken by helicopter to Stony Brook College Hospital to be handled at its trauma heart, in accordance with Mark Stone, a spokesman for the Deer Park Fireplace Division. Others with accidents had been taken to South Shore College Hospital and Good Samaritan College Hospital by ambulance. On Saturday, the police stated that 4 folks along with Mr. Schwally had been nonetheless hospitalized with accidents that had been critical however not life-threatening, and the remainder had been discharged.
The salon was open on the time of the crash, and Mr. Stone stated it appeared that almost all of these damage had been contained in the salon on the time.
In accordance with a police assertion launched Saturday morning, Mr. Schwally was driving a 2020 Chevy Traverse. He drove by means of the car parking zone of a strip mall earlier than crossing Grand Boulevard and smashing by means of the entrance of the salon.
9 businesses responded to the crash, together with hearth departments from surrounding cities, and there have been 150 firefighters and emergency medical responders on the scene, Mr. Stone stated. Authorities closed Grand Boulevard to visitors for hours after the crash.
The police stated Saturday that the investigation into the crash was persevering with.
Hurubie Meko contributed reporting.
