Accident at Deer Park nail salon: Community mourns NYPD officer killed by out-of-control car

NEW HYDE PARK, Long Island (WABC) – It was an emotional day on Long Island as friends, family and colleagues gathered to remember an NYPD officer who was killed by an out-of-control car outside a Deer Park nail salon.

A large sign with a picture of Officer Emilia Rennhack was placed on the street in front of the house in New Hyde Park where her funeral was held on Saturday.

Rennhack was one of four people who died last Friday when a suspected drunk driver plowed into a nail salon in Deer Park.

Also killed in the crash were Jiancai “Kenny” Chen, 37, of Bayside, Queens, Yan Xu, 41, of Flushing, Queens, and Meizi Zhang, 50, of Flushing, Queens.

The 30-year-old was off duty at the time and was getting her nails done for a wedding.

Officer Rennhack was assigned to the 102nd Precinct in Queens, where her husband works as a detective.

According to police, 64-year-old Steven Schwally was drunk when he drove an SUV through the Hawaii Nail Salon.

Schwally, of Dix Hills, has been charged with drunken driving and may face additional charges.

This is not Schwally’s first DUI incident. He pleaded guilty to similar charges in Suffolk County in March 2013.

At his arraignment Monday afternoon in Central Islip, Schwally was held on $1 million bail.

According to prosecutors, he is a Marine Corps veteran who lives in a motor inn in Commack.

He told police he had drunk 18 beers the night before the accident and stopped drinking at 4 a.m.

Schwally must appear in court again on July 12.

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