Suffolk County Police yesterday arrested a man for driving while intoxicated after he crashed a vehicle into a building in Deer Park, killing four people and injuring nine others.
Steven Schwally was driving a 2020 Chevy Traverse southbound at a high rate of speed through the parking lot in front of 421 Commack Road, then crossed over Grand Boulevard and continued through the parking lot of 794 Grand Boulevard, where he crashed the vehicle through the front window of Hawaii Nail & Spa, at 4:32 p.m.
The salon was open and conducting business at the time of the crash.
Three women and a man were pronounced dead at the scene by a physician assistant from the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner. Nine additional people were transported to local hospitals; five were transported by ambulance to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip, three were transported by ambulance to South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore, and one was airlifted via Suffolk County Police helicopter to Stony Brook University Hospital.
Schwally, 64, of Dix Hills, was charged with Driving While Intoxicated. He was transported to Good Samaritan University Hospital in West Islip for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. He will be arraigned at a later date.
Detectives are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6555.
A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.