The 64-year-old man who drove a minivan through a Long Island nail salon, killing four people and injuring another nine, was intoxicated at the time, police said Saturday.
Steven Schwally was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated after the deadly crash at the Deer Park Strip Mall on Friday.
Suffolk County Police said he was speeding through the parking lot before he plowed his 2020 Chevy Traverse through the front window of Hawaii Nail & Spa at around 4:30 p.m.
He was semiconscious when his vehicle finally came to stop at the back of the store, according to fire officials.
Three women and a man were pronounced dead at the scene. All those killed were inside the salon, which was open for business at the time of the crash, police said.
Another eight women and one man were injured and rushed to area hospitals for treatment. Some of them were trapped inside the business in wake of the crash and had to be extricated before they were transported from the scene.
Police said two people were left seriously injured, but they did not provide further details about the victims. None of their names have been released.
Schwally was also hurt in the crash and taken to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, where he’s being treated for non-life-threatening injuries. He remained hospitalized as of Saturday morning, Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney’s office said.
Schwally will be arraigned at a later time and additional charges against him are pending.
With News Wire Services
