Welcome to the latest edition of the Taco News Roundup, a staple on L.A. Taco since 2007. This week we have several fascinating stories from all over the tacoverse, including exciting restaurant news in disparate parts of the country.
Quick-Thinking Mom Uses 'Taco Tactics' to Outfox Fake Cop
The L.A. Times reports that quick-thinking mom of four used a taco to distract a man on a bike who pulled a gun, a badge, and demanded money. The family was on their way home from a waterpark when the supposed undercover cop pulled up their minivan and demanded money.
"She offered the man a taco and told him she was going to get napkins from the food truck. As she walked away, the man continued to show his gun and dig through her purse, authorities said.
The woman told people working in the truck and customers standing in line to not look at her van but to call 911. Customers and a man working in the truck called authorities, and deputies with the Sheriff’s Department’s Industry station found the man standing next to the family’s van.
When the man saw patrol cars, he tossed his handgun into the family’s vehicle and tried to get in, according to the Sheriff’s Department. Deputies recovered the gun and arrested him."
The suspect, 38-year-old Juan Rodriguez, was arrested on suspicion of child endangerment and impersonating a peace officer. The mother's name was not released, but we salute her for protecting her children and immediately grasping the power of the taco to defuse a terrifying situation.