Four people were killed and 10 others were injured after a vehicle crashed into a Long Island nail salon the afternoon of June 28. According to an ABC news report, the four deceased victims were identified as Jiancai Chen, 37, of Bayside, Queens; Emilia Rennhack, 30, of Deer Park; Yan Xu, 41, of Flushing, Queens; and Meizi Zhang, 50, of Flushing, Queens. Rennhack was an off-duty New York police officer, according to WABC in New York.
DWI Charge Filed Against Driver
Suffolk County police said 64-year-old Steven Schwally was driving an SUV southbound at a high rate of speed through a parking lot in Deer Park when he crossed a roadway and continued into another parking lot. He then crashed through the front window of Hawaii Nail & Spa. The vehicle traveled nearly all the way to the back of the nail salon, officials said. The four victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Ten others, including the driver, were transported to area hospitals. Schwally has been charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI).
Four victims were hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Five others, including a 12-year-old girl, were treated in area hospitals for injuries as well. The investigation into this incident is ongoing. We offer our deepest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones in this horrific car accident and wish the injured victims the very best for a speedy and complete recovery.
DWI Laws in New York City
DWI refers to operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher for drivers over 21 years old, or any detectable amount for drivers under 21. The consequences for DWI in New York City are severe and escalate based on factors like BAC level, prior offenses, and whether there was any injury or harm caused.
Penalties typically include fines, license suspension or revocation, mandatory attendance at drunk driving programs, and possible imprisonment. The city also enforces a zero-tolerance policy for drivers under 21 caught with any alcohol in their system while driving. In addition to facing criminal charges, negligent (careless) drivers can also be held financially responsible for the injuries, damages and losses they cause.
The Danger of Impaired Driving
Nationwide, impaired drivers cause about 17,000 deaths annually. In New York State, slightly more than 30% of all fatal crashes are alcohol-related. Every two minutes, there is an injury involving a drunk driver. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), every day, about 32 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes, which amounts to one person every 45 minutes. In 2020, 11,654 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths — a 14% increase from 2019.
Substances that can impair a driver include illegal drugs, legal drugs, alcohol and even some over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Alcohol and drugs typically affect the ability to drive as they slow coordination, judgment and reaction times. Alcohol and drugs or a combination of the two can also alter driver behaviors. For example, certain drugs such as methamphetamine tend to make drivers more reckless and aggressive.
Contacting an Experienced Lawyer
Injured victims of negligent (careless) drivers can seek compensation from at-fault parties for damages including, but not limited to, medical expenses, lost wages and benefits, hospitalization, rehabilitation, permanent injuries, disabilities, past and future pain and suffering, etc. Families that have lost loved ones in car accidents can seek compensation for damages such as lost future income, medical and funeral costs, pain and suffering, etc.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, or if you have lost a loved one in a motor vehicle accident caused by a negligent or careless driver, the experienced personal injury attorneys at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm can help you better understand your legal rights and options, and also fight hard to recover just compensation for you.
For over 53 years, our skilled attorneys have established a proven track record of helping injured victims. Our law firm recently recovered $5,600,000 for a bicyclist who was hit by a van, and $2,550,000 for another victim of a truck accident, and $3,000,000 for a pedestrian who was hit by a car, and $2,000,000 in a hit-and-run accident, and the full $1,000,000 insurance policy for a pedestrian who was hit by a truck, and $4,625,000 for a driver who was in a car and was hit by a van, and $2,500,000 for a man who fell through an improperly secured hole. Also, one of our clients obtained a verdict for $43,940,000 and another of our clients got a verdict for $23,500,000, both in medical malpractice cases.
Please contact us TOLL FREE 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). WE CAN EVEN COME TO YOU. There is no attorneys’ fee unless we recover money for you. We can also help with personal injury, lead poisoning and medical malpractice cases including, brachial plexus palsy (Erb’s palsy) and cerebral palsy cases in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other TOLL FREE phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
Please visit us at: www.WORK4YOULAW.com
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/US/long-island-new-york-car-crash-building/story?id=111532462