Four people were killed and nine others wounded Friday afternoon when a minivan slammed into a busy nail salon in Deer Park, Long Island.
The crash occurred at around 4:40 p.m. and involved a minivan that crashed into the Hawaii Nail & Spa store.
“There were people trapped. We extricated them and transported them to area hospitals,” said Dominic Albanese, the assistant Chief of the Deer Park Fire Department.
Three women and a man died at the scene. Eight female and one male victims were transported to area hospital with various injuries.
On Saturday, Suffolk County Police announced that Steven Schwally has been charged with driving while intoxicated. He is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators said the 64-year-old sped through the parking lot before slamming his 2020 Chevy Traverse into the front window of the business.
Witness Eric Perez recalled hearing a speeding vehicle and what “sounded like shattering.”
“It was a sound I never heard before. We saw the ambulance and emergency workers pulling one body out. And I saw two women I think worked there come out on stretchers,” he added.
Albanese said that nearly 150 firefighters were at the scene in response to the incident.
“It’s horrible. It’s going be tough for the community, tough for the volunteer fire department. But we’re going to get through it,” he said.
