Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is devastated to learn of the alleged impaired driving crash that killed four people and injured nine more after an alleged impaired driver crashed into a Long Island nail salon. MADD New York stands with the families during this difficult time and will be there to offer support as they process this senseless loss of life.
MADD will be following the criminal proceedings of the alleged impaired driver, Steven Schwally, who was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated. Records show Schwally, 64, has a prior DWI conviction.
Jiancai Chen, 37, Yan Xu, 41, and Meizi Zhang, 50, all staff members at the salon, were identified as victims killed in the crash. Emilia Rennhack, 30, an off-duty New York police officer who dedicated her life to protecting the public, was also among the four innocent people killed in this preventable tragedy. Her untimely death underscores the profound loss experienced when a public servant, committed to safeguarding the community, becomes a victim.
Four additional injured victims were hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Five others, including a 12-year-old girl, were treated at area hospitals for various injuries.
Every year, more than 13,000 people are killed and almost 400,000 injured by impaired drivers. MADD looks forward to the day when all new vehicles contain impaired driving prevention technology, required by federal law through the HALT Act as soon as 2026. Equipping cars with this passive technology is expected to save more than 10,000 lives a year and prevent hundreds of thousands of injuries from ever occurring.