A car which hurtled into a New York nail salon killing four people inside was literally airborne in the seconds before the crash, shocking new security footage reveals.
Newlywed NYPD police officer Emilia Rannhack, 30, and three salon staff died when Steven Schwally, 64, smashed through the doors of Hawaii Nail and Spa in Long Island at high speed on June 28.
He reportedly told police he had drunk 18 beers the night before, and has been charged with DWI.
But the salon, which posted its neighbor's footage, has urged prosecutors to upgrade the charges.
'How unfair is this?' it demanded in its Instagram post. 'We hope that the law can severely punish the murderer, and he must pay for what he has done.'
Off-duty NYPD officer Emilia Rennhack, 30, was killed during Friday's crash
The security footage caught the split-second the car slammed into the salon, narrowly missing a pedestrian and killing four people inside
Salon co-owner, Jiancai Chen, 37, died alongside two of his employees Meizi Zhang, 50, and Yan Xu, 41, while a 12-year-old girl was among ten other people injured.
Chen's wife, Wen Jun, remains in hospital in a critical condition, and $72,000 has been raised so far by a Gofundme appeal set up to help their two children aged 10 and five.
The video appears to show no deceleration at all as Schwally's 2020 Chevy Traverse barrels down the road opposite and into the car lot before hitting the salon.
The sound of screams can be heard from the salon and customers from the neighboring business can be seen running out of their store to see what had happened.
Prosecutors described the crash as having occurred with the driver having 'accelerated at a high rate of speed', and that Schwally allegedly: 'Drove in the opposite lane of travel, nearly striking pedestrians.
'He continued through the intersection, went airborne' as he slammed into the packed nail salon.'
The car was only brought to a halt by the back of the building after destroying everything in its path.
This is not Schwally's first time being charged with driving while intoxicated, Newsday reports.
Driver Steven Schwally was taken to hospital after the crash but appeared at First District Court in Central Islip, New York York on July 1. He is due back in court on July 19
Jiancai Chen, owner of the Hawaii Nail & Spa salon in Deer Park was also killed in the crash
An employee at the salon, Yan Xu, 41, also lost her life in the tragic crash
Back in April 2014, he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and had his license suspended.
Schwally's brother Edward also claims he has had more than one prior DUI, recounting how he once drove his brother to probation after he refused to take a breathalyzer in 2010 or 2011.
'It's like my worst nightmare come true,' the brother told The Post.
'I feel terrible about innocent people getting hurt.
He also admitted his brother had a habit of 'bad mouthing everyone'.
'He could be vicious at times,' he added.
'I mean I feel terrible for him that it ended up happening. There's nothing I can really do for him. It's out of everybody's hands. It's in the hands of the courts.
'He is not going to see the light of day. He's finished. There is no way to get out of that.'
The nail bar's clients have reacted with horror to the graphic footage with some demanding the driver receive a life sentence.
'I'm terribly sorry for all you have had to endure,' wrote Christopher Steven. 'Hang in there nail salon ladies. Justice will be done.'
'Omg this is insane. They had no chance,' wrote Jenny Lynne.
Schwally appeared in court sitting in a wheelchair and wearing hospital clothes
'The sounds of the people screaming from inside is gut wrenching. My god,' added another.
Rennhack, a six-year veteran of the NYPD had been married to a fellow New York cop for less than a year and was getting her nails done for a colleague's wedding later that day.
'My daughter-in-law was a wonderful woman,' her mother-in-law Holy Rennhack said.
'She was beautiful. She was very kind. She was very compassionate. She was very special.'
Schwally appeared in court on July 1 were he was remanded in custody on a $1 million bond.
He is due back in court on July 19.
