Woman intentionally rams vehicle into Canoga Park taco shop

A woman was arrested after intentionally crashing her car into a taco shop in Canoga Park Friday night.

Los Angeles police responded to the destructive scene at Taco Reyes near Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Saticoy Street at around 7:15 p.m.

Witness video showed the female driver drove directly through the glass front entrance and into the dining area. She repeatedly rammed her vehicle against the inside wall as she switched between backing up her car and then quickly accelerating again.

Around 15 people were inside the restaurant at the time. The destructive scene drew a large crowd of bystanders across the street as the mayhem continued before police arrived.

Bailey Thompson works at the bar next door to the taco shop. The bar shares a wall with the restaurant that was repeatedly rammed by the suspect driver.

“I saw a woman in the handicap space [out front] honking incessantly and she was telling people to get out of the way and she hit the opening of the taqueria, backed up, hit it again and again,” Thompson recalled. “So, she gave time for people to get out of there, but once the car was inside, she kept backing up and ramming into different walls, in the kitchen and she rammed through the wall connecting to the bar so both [businesses] are pretty much in ruins.”

Another witness, who did not wish to be identified, recalled the chaotic ordeal as officers surrounded the taco shop.

“A couple of shots were eventually fired [by officers],” the witness said. “They went for the tires and then finally a police squad went up with a riot shield until they were able to get into physical contact and pull the suspect out of the car.”

The woman was eventually subdued and taken into custody by LAPD. No customers or workers were injured.

Although the motive behind the violent rampage remains unclear, the owner of Taco Reyes told KTLA the woman was a former employee who was recently fired from the shop.

They said the suspect had previously vandalized one of their taco trucks. She was arrested for that incident and held for two days before being released.

The incident remains under investigation by police.

Late Friday night, family members were seen cleaning up the debris and boarding up the restaurant. The bar next door also remains closed as both businesses work to repair the substantial damage.