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.

A man accused of sexually assaulting a mother who was walking her 4-week-old baby in Brentwood was charged for the attack Friday.

Abraham Shily, 26, is accused of sexually and physically assaulting Carmina Lu as she was walking in the 900 block of South Gretna Green Way on July 16.

Lu had been speaking to a friend in the neighborhood at around 5 p.m. Moments after saying goodbye, a shirtless attacker suddenly approached her from behind.  

“He grabbed me by the hips with both of his hands and started sexually assaulting me,” Lu said.  

As Lu fought back and tried to defend herself, the suspect repeatedly punched her in the face. Neighbors heard Lu screaming and came running to her rescue, scaring off the attacker.

The violent assault left the mother with multiple injuries including a split lip, cuts under her eyes, notable bruises and a scalp injury that required staples.

“The baby, thank goodness, was not touched,” Lu said of the confrontation. “Honestly, what scared me the most is that right before he ran away, he glanced at my stroller for a split second. If something had happened to the baby, I would’ve been devastated.”  

Two days later on July 18, the suspect, Shily, was arrested. He posted bond and was later released. Some residents told KTLA he had returned to his mother’s home which was located in the same neighborhood where the attack occurred.

Lu and her neighbors were shaken by the ordeal, with many feeling their sense of security in an otherwise safe neighborhood had been taken away.

“I just want to walk in my neighborhood and feel safe about it,” Lu said. “I don’t think I’m going to feel that for a while.”  

On Aug. 8, Shily was charged with:

• One felony count of assault with a deadly weapon
• One misdemeanor count of sexual battery
• One misdemeanor count of child abuse under circumstances or conditions other than great bodily injury or death
• One misdemeanor count of false imprisonment
• One misdemeanor count of false imprisonment

Shily pleaded not guilty to all charges at an arraignment on Aug. 8.

A preliminary court hearing is scheduled for Oct. 1. If convicted on all charges, he faces up to nine years in state prison.

The case remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. 

Disney fans and journalists from around the world this weekend will gather at the Anaheim Convention Center near Disneyland Resort, for D23, billed as “The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.”

The biennial event features the company’s biggest announcements of the year across its all divisions, including its theme parks and movie production, along with panels and other presentations.

KTLA consumer reporter David Lazarus says this D23 comes at a pivotal moment for the House of Mouse.

”First of all, it needs to rekindle heat for the Disney brand, which has been tarnished by box-office misses and rising theme-park prices,” says Lazarus. “The company needs to demonstrate to its most loyal customers that the magic is still there.”

After a series of box office misfires, including “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” “The Marvels” and “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” Disney’s film division has roared back with summer blockbusters “Inside Out 2” ($1.6 billion globally) and “Deadpool & Wolverine” ($900 million and counting).

Upcoming releases include “Moana 2,” “Mufasa: The Lion King” and “Captain America: Brave New World,” as well as a long-delayed “Snow White” reboot starring Rachel Zegler in the title role.

Disney, Lazarus believes, needs to demonstrate to both fans and shareholders that it can keep the momentum.

“It’s not enough to once again pin hopes on Robert Downey Jr., who is switching from hero to villain as he takes on the Doctor Doom character,” Lazarus says. “It’s an open question whether there’s a significant market for a live-action ‘Snow White’ or yet another ‘Avatar’ movie. And shareholders will be watching closely to see how Disney’s theatrical plans dovetail with the company’s Disney+ streaming service, which is finally profitable.”

On Friday, Disney (NYSE: DIS) was trading at $86 per share, less than half its all-time high of $200 in March 2021, when viewers flocked to the fledgling Disney+ platform during the height of the pandemic.

DisneylandForward

Fans anticipate big announcements about DisneylandForward, the $1.9 billion 10-year plan to bring new rides and lands to Disneyland Resort. The Anaheim City Council greenlit the project earlier this year.

One project revolves around a new area based on the Avatar film franchise. A similar Pandora-themed area opened at Disney’s Animal Kingdom in Florida in May 2017.

 “This is an announcement I am very confident will be made during the presentation,” says Gavin Doyle, Mickey Visit founder and bestselling author of “Disneyland Secrets.” “It is clear that [Iger] personally believes in that intellectual property and wants to have it featured prominently in the expansion, especially as they prepare to release even more Avatar movies.”

Fans await updates on a new ride in Avengers Campus at Disney California Adventure centered around Marvel Comics villain King Thanos. With Disneyland Resort’s 70th anniversary next year, additional announcements will potentially include how the resort plans to draw big crowds.

Details about the DisneylandForward expansion are expected to be revealed during D23’s Disney Experiences Showcase on Saturday evening.

Carly Neil with Wealth of Geeks via AP contributed to this report.