Steven Schwally Sentenced to 25 Years to Life for Fatal Long Island Nail Salon Crash

Steven Schwally, 66, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison on August 12, 2026, for the deadly crash that killed four people at a nail salon on Long Island, New York.

The incident occurred on June 28, 2024, at Hawaii Nail & Spa in Deer Park. Schwally was driving a Chevrolet Traverse at approximately 78 mph (126 km/h) when the SUV crashed directly into the business.

Four people were killed in the crash:

• Jian Chai Chen, the salon owner
• Yan Xu, a salon employee
• Meizi Zhang, a salon employee
• Emilia Rennhack, an off-duty NYPD officer

Nine other people were injured.

Investigators determined that Schwally’s blood alcohol concentration was approximately 0.17%, more than twice New York’s legal limit.

In June 2026, Schwally was convicted of four counts of second-degree murder along with additional charges stemming from the crash.

The court subsequently sentenced him to 25 years to life in prison, bringing the criminal proceedings to a close more than two years after the devastating collision.

Source: abc7NY