It was a normal Friday afternoon in Deer Park. People were getting manicures for the weekend. Others were just working their shifts at Hawaii Nail & Spa on Grand Boulevard. Then, everything changed in a split second. A Chevy Traverse came screaming through the front window. It didn't just break the glass; it went nearly all the way through the building.
Four people died. Nine others were sent to hospitals. When you think about a Long Island nail salon crash, you don't expect a mass casualty event in a strip mall next to a Kohl’s. But that's exactly what happened on June 28, 2024.
The driver was Steven Schwally. He was 64. Police say he was drunk. Really drunk. This wasn't some minor lapse in judgment—it was a violent, high-speed intrusion into a place where people felt safe. It's the kind of thing that makes you look twice at every storefront you walk into now.
The victims who never came home
We have to talk about who was inside. This isn't just a news stat. Jianmei "Mei" Chen was only 37. She owned the place. She was a mother. She was building a life. Then there was Yan "Jenny" Xu, 41. She worked there too.
And the customers. Emilie Cheng was 37. Detective Emilia Rennhack was only 30. She was with the NYPD. She was actually off-duty, just getting her nails done for a wedding she was supposed to attend the next day. Her husband was a detective too. Think about that. You spend your life on the force dealing with danger, and then a random car kills you while you’re sitting in a salon chair.
It’s heavy.
The injuries for the survivors weren't minor either. We're talking about broken bones, internal trauma, and the kind of mental scarring that doesn't just go away because the glass got swept up.
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The legal fallout for Steven Schwally
Schwally wasn't some stranger to the legal system. He’d been charged with a DUI before, back in 2013. This time, the Suffolk County District Attorney, Raymond Tierney, didn't hold back. They hit him with four counts of second-degree murder.
Why murder and not just vehicular manslaughter? Because of "depraved indifference."
Basically, the prosecution argued that driving at high speeds through a parking lot while intoxicated shows you just don't care if people live or die. Police reports stated he was huffing it—speeding through the lot before the impact. He reportedly told officers he had consumed 18 beers the night before and didn't stop drinking until 4:00 AM.
That’s a lot of alcohol.
He pleaded not guilty, which is standard, but the evidence was overwhelming. The car was lodged so deep in the building that they had to use heavy equipment to get it out. The scene was described by first responders as "total chaos."
Why these crashes keep happening on Long Island
Long Island has a weird relationship with cars. Everything is a strip mall. Everything is paved. And unfortunately, these "pedal misapplication" or "DUI building strikes" happen way more than they should.
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- Storefront Vulnerability: Most of these shops have floor-to-ceiling glass. It looks nice. It’s great for business. It offers zero protection against a two-ton SUV.
- Parking Lot Design: In Deer Park, like much of Suffolk County, parking spots often face directly into the store windows. There are no bollards. No concrete pillars. Nothing to stop a car that doesn't brake.
- The "North Shore" and "South Shore" drinking culture: Let's be honest. Long Island has a massive problem with drunk driving. Between the Hamptons traffic and the local bars, the roads are dangerous after dark—and apparently, in the middle of the afternoon.
The "Bollard" debate and safety changes
After the Long Island nail salon crash, people started screaming for bollards. You know, those yellow or concrete poles you see in front of Target or 7-Eleven?
They work.
If Hawaii Nail & Spa had bollards, four people might still be alive. The car would have hit the post, totaled the engine, and stayed on the sidewalk. Instead, it acted like a literal battering ram. Some local politicians have pushed for "Emilia’s Law" or similar mandates to force landlords to install these safety features.
But it’s expensive. Landlords hate spending money on things that don't generate rent. They argue it’s a "freak accident." But when you look at the data, car-into-building crashes happen about 60 times a day in the United States. Sixty. Every single day.
The ripple effect on the Deer Park community
Deer Park is a tight-knit spot. The vigil for the victims was massive. You saw flowers, candles, and nail polish bottles left at the site for weeks.
It changed how people shop there. You notice people picking seats further back in restaurants now. They don't want to sit with their back to the window. It’s a collective trauma.
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The salon, obviously, didn't just reopen the next day. The structural damage was intense. But the emotional damage to the neighboring businesses—the Kohl’s, the nearby eateries—is still palpable. People talk about "the crash" like a marker in time. Before the crash and after the crash.
What you should know if you're a business owner
If you own a shop on Long Island, this wasn't just a sad story; it was a warning.
- Check your insurance: Most standard policies cover "vehicle impact," but do you have enough for liability if a customer is killed? Most don't.
- Install protective barriers: Don't wait for the town to pass a law. Concrete planters or steel bollards cost a few thousand dollars. A lawsuit costs millions.
- Re-evaluate your layout: Put the waiting area or the high-traffic zones in the back of the store, not right against the front glass.
The tragedy at Hawaii Nail & Spa was preventable. That’s the hardest part to swallow. It wasn't an "act of God." It was a choice made by a driver and a lack of physical protection at a storefront.
The legal battle for Steven Schwally is still winding through the courts as of late 2025 and into 2026. The families are still waiting for what they consider true justice. But no matter the verdict, the landscape of Grand Boulevard is permanently scarred.
Steps for staying safe in public spaces
You can't live in a bunker, but you can be aware. When you walk into a retail space, take a second to look at the storefront. Is it just glass? Is there a curb?
If you are sitting in a salon or a cafe, try to choose a seat that isn't directly in line with a parking spot. It sounds paranoid until it isn't. Advocate for local zoning laws that require "hardened" storefronts in high-traffic areas. This wasn't the first crash on Long Island, and unless the infrastructure changes, it won't be the last.
Support the families by checking for verified GoFundMe archives or local memorial funds that assist the children of the victims. Awareness is the first step toward making sure this level of negligence doesn't repeat itself in another suburban strip mall. Reach out to your local town board to ask about bollard requirements for new commercial developments to ensure physical safety matches the aesthetic of our shopping centers.