Woman who drove SUV into Canoga Park taco restaurant is former employee, owner’s family says

CANOGA PARK, LOS ANGELES (KABC) – A woman who police say intentionally drove her car into a Canoga Park taco restaurant is a former employee, according to the owner’s family.

The shooting occurred around 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Tacos Reyes restaurant near Saticoy Street and Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

Video captured by passersby showed the car repeatedly backing up and driving forward, destroying everything in the store. Police told Eyewitness News that officers saw the woman repeatedly back into the building and then crash into it.

According to Antonia Reyes, the owner’s daughter, the woman previously worked at the restaurant, but it is unclear why she is no longer employed there.

“Even when she left four years ago, there was no conflict. It was a really good relationship,” Reyes said. “Her mother still works with us. She’s been with us for… maybe 8+ years. So we have so much love for the family. This is an unfortunate situation that happened and it breaks our hearts.”

The woman, whose identity was not immediately released, had previously been arrested for vandalism of one of the restaurant’s catering trucks, according to police.

Bailey Thompson worked at a bar next door and quickly realized the danger that was unfolding there. She rushed to her customers and colleagues to ask them to leave the building.

“She was just backing up and slamming into all kinds of walls,” Thompson said. “So we share a wall with them, so she started slamming into our wall.”

The people flagged down police officers patrolling the area, who surrounded the woman and fired non-lethal shots before arresting her. She now faces vandalism charges.

No injuries were reported. The incident remains under investigation.

The restaurant will remain closed until further notice as cleanup work is still ongoing.