Pickup Truck Crashes Into Palo Mesa Pizza in Arroyo Grande, Forces Closure

A white pickup truck crashed through the front wall and window of Palo Mesa Wood Fired Pizza at 150 W. Branch St. in the Village of Arroyo Grande at about 8:38 a.m. on March 2, causing extensive exterior and structural damage and forcing the Arroyo Grande location to shut down indefinitely. No customers or staff were inside the shop when the truck struck the storefront; two people inside the truck sustained minor injuries and did not go to the hospital.

Arroyo Grande Police Department Cmdr. Greg Pierce identified the time and vehicle and said the department is still investigating the cause of the crash. Pierce added that drugs and alcohol do not appear to be a factor at this time.

Owner Kelly Stevens said she was at the shop minutes before the crash and had driven home about five minutes away when she received a call. Stevens shared a photo showing the truck had smashed through the front wall and window and wrote in an email, "We are very grateful no one was hurt. We are thankful to the community for all of their support and prayers." She confirmed the Village location is closed for the time being and did not provide a reopening date.

Exterior damage included broken storefront glass, a section of wall pushed inward, and landscaping and outdoor chairs plowed through by the truck. Crews recovered the vehicle after the collision. Inside the restaurant, damage was minimal in several areas: one interior wall had a small dent, original floors remained intact and a stained glass chandelier survived, according to on-scene accounts.

The crash narrowly missed the restaurant’s gas line, a detail the owner highlighted as a close call. Community members visited the site the day after the wreck to view the damage, and one longtime customer, Eileen Wagner, said, "That could have been a real disaster if it got any closer to the gas line." Wagner added, "I'm just so glad nobody got hurt."

Palo Mesa Wood Fired Pizza operates four other locations across San Luis Obispo County; those restaurants remain open and are taking orders while the Arroyo Grande site is assessed. The Village location employed one full-time staffer who will move to another Palo Mesa restaurant during the closure.

Law enforcement has not released the identities of the two people in the truck and has not announced any charges. The owner and community members have expressed determination to return to the site and rebuild, and officials continue structural and investigative work to determine the next steps for repairs and a safe reopening.