Trial underway for man accused of driving drunk into a Deer Park nail salon, killing 4, injuring others
Jurors heard opening statements in the trial of Steven Schwally, who is accused of driving drunk and killing four people in June 2024.
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A trial is now underway for the man accused of driving drunk into a Deer Park nail salon, resulting in four deaths, as well as injuries to others.
Prosecutor Alexander Bopp told jurors in the Steven Schwally trial that the defendant's decisions turned a beautiful day into one of "death and carnage."
Bopp said Schwally's Chevrolet Traverse slammed "like a missile" into Hawaii Nail & Spa in Deer Park, "obliterating" everything in its path.
Four people were killed.
The prosecutor said Schwally was going 78 mph one second before the crash, and that less than two hours after the crash, Schwally's blood alcohol content was a .17%, which is more than double the legal limit.
Schwally's attorney, Christopher Cassar, said his client was not intoxicated.
He said Schwally had a problem with his leg and he "could not remove his leg from the gas pedal."
The first witness on the stand was a Suffolk County police officer who responded to the scene.
The trial continues Tuesday.
