SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY – Issued August 12, 2026
Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond A. Tierney’s Office
“Steven Schwally drank until his blood alcohol content was more than twice the legal limit. 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,” said District Attorney Tierney. “Four families are now living with the deadly consequences, including the family of an off-duty New York City police officer. We have now achieved justice on behalf of these families and survivors who continue to deal with the fallout from the defendant’s decisions.”
Trial evidence established that on June 28, 2024, Schwally left his room at the Commack Motor Inn, where he lived by himself.
At approximately 11:00 a.m., Schwally visited a liquor store located in the same strip mall as the Hawaii Nail & Spa at 796 Grand Boulevard in Deer Park, where he purchased two bottles of Montebello Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail. He got back into his 2020 Chevrolet Traverse SUV and drove in the Deer Park area throughout the course of the day.
Around 4:30 p.m., Schwally drove recklessly through the parking lot in front of the Kohl’s and Stop & Shop on Commack Road. He swerved around two cars, entered the opposite lane, ignored four stop signs, sped through five crosswalks and narrowly missed hitting two pedestrians near the Kohl’s crosswalk.
At the end of the parking lot, Schwally approached a vehicle that was stopped at a red light. Schwally continued to drive in the opposite lane of travel and blew through a red light at a high rate of speed to bypass the car in front of him. His Chevrolet Traverse traveled at such a high speed that it caused the vehicle to go airborne.
The SUV then careened across Grand Boulevard and entered the strip mall parking lot. Schwally’s vehicle plowed through a sign and continued through an empty parking space until it crashed into the nail salon.
The SUV struck several people inside the salon and dragged the four victims before ultimately crashing into the rear wall of the store. At the time of the impact, there were 14 people inside the business, five employees and nine customers. The aftermath of the scene was described by witnesses as “if a bomb went off” or “an explosion” had occurred. Debris, glass, and furniture littered the interior of the store. Dust and smoke filled the interior, making it hard to breathe.
Four people 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 owner of the business; Yan Xu, 41, of Flushing, an employee; and Meizi Zhang, 50, of Flushing, an employee. Nine others sustained injuries ranging from fractures and internal injuries requiring surgery to lacerations and contusions.
Upon being extricated from the vehicle, Schwally was taken to a local hospital for treatment. He was observed to be intoxicated, having an odor of alcohol on his breath, slurred speech, bloodshot and watery eyes.
A search warrant was obtained for the defendant’s blood taken upon his entrance to Good Samaritan University Hospital. Laboratory analysis revealed a blood alcohol content of 0.17 percent, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent.
A search warrant obtained for Schwally’s vehicle revealed that the defendant was traveling at 78 mph when it went airborne across the intersection of Grand Boulevard. Investigators executing the search warrant recovered two empty 375-milliliter bottles of Montebello Long Island Iced Tea Cocktail and one full bottle on the front passenger floorboard. An additional empty bottle was recovered from the bathroom trash at his hotel room at the Commack Motor Inn.
On June 4, 2026, Schwally was convicted after a jury trial heard before Supreme Court Justice Richard Ambro of the following charges:
- 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 years to life in prison. He was represented by Christopher Cassar, Esq.
This case was prosecuted by Bureau Chief Carl Borelli and Assistant District Attorney Alexander Bopp of the Vehicular Crime Bureau, with assistance from Discovery Expeditor Margaret McKeever and investigative assistance from Detective Brian Whitehead of the Suffolk County Police Department’s Major Case Unit.
Criminal complaints and indictments are merely accusatory instruments. Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. No one is above the law.
