UPDATE (1/21): On Saturday, Taqueria Pico de Gallo reopened for takeout and curbside pickup, according to manager Diana Bojorquez.
She also shared with KGUN a notice that the Pima County Attorney's office will not file felony charges against a man accused of driving drunk and crashing his car into the restaurant on Christmas Eve, citing a lack of evidence to prove the crime "beyond a reasonable doubt."
Bojorquez says the family is "furious" and "heartbroken" after that decision.
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Taqueria Pico de Gallo—a South Tucson staple for 33 years—has been closed for weeks after a driver smashed into the building.
Employees say a drunk driver on S. 6th Avenue drove into the front door and seating area in the early morning hours on Christmas Eve.
No one was inside at the time, but the crash shut down business.
“A lot of workers, we live paycheck to paycheck,” said Diana Bojorquez, manager of the taqueria and daughter of the couple who opened it.
“[This] changes peoples’ lives. Twelve families here have been impacted.”
Taqueria Pico de Gallo needs a temporary permit from the Pima County Health Department to reopen for takeout and curbside pickup. But reopening completely is another hurdle.
“There’s no words sometimes to express the emotions,” said Bojorquez. “Because at the end of the day, we try to look at the positive side and say, ‘Hey, we needed to remodel. Hey, we needed to grow. Hey, we needed to change the floor. We needed to paint.’ We just try to look at the positives.”
It’s not just the family’s own positivity getting them through this. They say several neighbors and community members have reached out to offer their support.
“Construction companies have offered to do [the repairs] for free,” said Bojorquez. “We’re honored. It’s a privilege. I’m very proud to be from Tucson now. It used to be like, ‘Tucson’s a desert. But now it has changed my outlook on Tucson.”
KGUN9 asked owner Ignacio “Nacho” Delgado his message to the community.
“Thank you very much for support,” he said. “And we’ll be here for another 50 years.”
The family with a thank you — and a plea.
“Please, please do not drink and drive,” said Bojorquez. ‘Cause that changes lives forever. That’s the most important thing that we have learned.”
The family hopes Taqueria Pico de Gallo can reopen for takeout and curbside pickup as early as Friday.
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