Chevy Traverse Gets Airborne, Crashes Into Salon: Video
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An allegedly drunk driver behind the wheel of a Chevy Traverse is accused of crashing into a nail salon in Suffolk County, New York, at nearly 80 mph, killing four and injuring several others. Video of the incident shows the Chevy crossover traveling at high speeds through a mall parking lot before going airborne over an adjacent road moments before crashing into the salon. The driver has pleaded not guilty.
According to a report from NBC News, Steven Schwally was behind the wheel of the Chevy Traverse and was driving recklessly before the crash. Security camera footage captures the crossover speeding through a mall parking lot, ignoring a stop sign, and swerving by a parked truck, nearly colliding with it. The video then shows the crossover running several other stop signs at high speed, swerving around multiple vehicles and narrowly missing a group of pedestrians in a crosswalk. The pedestrians look on in bewilderment as the driver continues his reckless journey through the parking lot. Finally, the Chevy is seen hurtling across a road, going airborne, and ultimately crashing into the nail salon.
Law enforcement officials indicated that they detected alcohol on the driver’s breath, and that his blood alcohol content was twice the legal limit. The crash resulted in the deaths of the nail salon owner, Ken Chen, two employees, and NYPD officer Emilia Rennhack. Several others were seriously injured, including a 12-year-old girl and Chen’s wife, Joyce.
Prosecutors presented video evidence showing Schwally purchasing alcohol around 11 a.m. on the day of the incident. In court, Schwally showed no concern for the victims, claiming he hadn’t broken any laws. Appearing in court in a wheelchair, Schwally pleaded not guilty and was ordered to be held by the judge.
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Blue New York. He’ll get “Community Service” .
Despicable. How many more innocent people must die by drugged or drunk people driving under the influence, before we all wake up and actually do something that acts as a hard core deterrent against this kind of abhorent behavior?
He should get the real electric chair that Thomas Edison invented.
If the details presented in this story are true, then jail him, try him, convict him, sentence him to death, and then immediately execute him publicly by hanging on a scaffold built in the Mall’s parking lot.
How many times has this guy driven drunk like this? New York keeps lowering the threshold for DWI. What they need to do, is throw the entire book at repeat offenders. Each and every drunk driver, has had at least one minor driving arrest concerning booze or drugs. If they got more than a slap on the wrist the first time, it just may not happen again. The law needs to reflect more of real life and punishment. This guy is now history. The people he killed and injured, will never be the same.
Disgusting old *astard looks like the Crypt Keeper.
Don’t understand why barriers are not mandatory at strip malls.
They need to ban cars! That will stop drunk drivers!
Larry your a funny guy . Ban cars come on Larry. What they must do is ban ELECTRIC VEHICLES..
Looked up the local law. So, in Texas, the perp would be charged with intoxication manslaughter which, interestingly enough, is only a second degree felony. The maximum punishment is 20 years in jail and a $10k fine. So if he got the maximum for each and had to serve the sentences consecutively, he would be looking at 80 years in prison and a $40k fine. Since one of the people killed was a police officer, that offense could be upgraded to a first degree felony for which the upper limit jail time is 99 years. So that would result in a maximum of 159 years if served consecutively. That should be enough to keep him in prison for the rest of his natural life.
Not as satisfying as a public execution, but better than back out on the street.
The real key here is that this guy is likely not a first time offender DUI. You can take away his keys and license but repeat offenders always drive intoxicated again and again. If the first offense results in a death then that’s it. Long prison sentence with possible parole after 30-40 years. Then consider the death penalty if he drives intoxicated again (he will) and kills someone. How can we stop drunk drivers from the start?? That is another key.