Taco Time remains open via drive thru while repairs are made
An intersection in Ballard is back in the headlines after a man drove his car into Taco Time (2853 NW Market Street) on Market Street the morning of Jan. 12.
At approximately 2:07 a.m. Seattle Police Department and the Seattle Fire Department responded to a reported collision and found a vehicle lodged in the front end of Taco Time.
The vehicle had gone through a plate glass window and much of a wall into the seating area of the restaurant. The driver of the vehicle was standing near the car and admitted to officers he had been driving when the accident occurred. There were no passengers, and the man was not injured.
Image taken from KIRO TV
Officers reported that there was no obvious sign the man had been drinking, though he refused a sobriety test and medical treatment from SFD.
The man was processed for Driving Under the Influence and booked at the North Precinct for DUI and negligent driving.
The intersection has been problematic for the last few years. At the 28th block, Market Street splices, with one route continuing as Market Street westbound, and another route veering southwest, turning into Northwest 54th Street. Taco Time rests at the crux of this intersection.
The Ballard News Tribune has reported two major accidents at the intersection. Both 2013 and 2010 saw major accidents, where one car careened into the Taco Time parking lot and another where three BHS students were killed after hitting the Taco Time sign (2010).
The restaurant drive thru remains open as clean up and construction teams work on the seating area.
The BNT will be looking into this matter deeper. Look in the print edition for a deeper analysis of the issue.
Update:
The Ballard News Tribune reported that on Jan. 14, 2014 that officers had found no indication of the driver being intoxicated at the scene. However, SPD confirmed the driver did show signs of impairment, and therefore was processes for DUI.
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