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Minivan driver was drunk, cops say – NBC New York

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The driver of a minivan that slammed into a Long Island nail salon at high speed, killing four people and injuring at least nine, was arrested for driving under the influence, police said.

Steven Schwally was arrested following Friday’s crash on Grand Boulevard in Deer Park. Officials in Suffolk County said the 64-year-old driver was speeding when he crashed into Hawaii Nail & Spa around 4:30 p.m.

A fire official pointed to the high speed of the minivan, which drove through the front of the beauty salon and almost came out the other side.

Four people were pronounced dead at the scene, according to Deer Park Deputy Fire Chief Dominic Albanese. Three of the victims were women and the fourth was a man, police confirmed.

Nine other people sustained injuries, some of which were classified as serious. One of the injured was flown by helicopter to a nearby hospital.

The driver was among those taken to hospital, Albanese said, adding that others were trapped in the cabin and had to be freed before they could be taken to hospital.

Witnesses said the vehicle sped through a parking lot across the street, apparently in a hurry to get out of there. The driver then drove around another car that was stopped at a traffic light, and as the van was about to turn onto Grand Boulevard, it flew straight into the salon.

It was not immediately clear whether the crash was intentional or not, nor how many people were in the vehicle at the time. The ages of the victims were not immediately known, and Albanese could not confirm whether there were any children among the victims.

About 150 firefighters and paramedics responded to the incident.

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