OLYMPIA, Wash. — A judge has issued a temporary restraining order against a restaurant south of Olympia that has refused to shut down indoor dining as required by statewide coronavirus restrictions.
Washington Department of Labor & Industries spokesperson Tim Church said Thursday that a Thurston County judge issued the order against Farm Boy Drive-In Restaurant in Maytown. A hearing is expected next week on the matter.
According to the state, the restaurant owner has refused to stop serving meals in his dining room.
This next legal step would allow the state to pursue criminal charges against the owner.
In November, Gov. Jay Inslee issued stricter coronavirus restrictions amid soaring COVID-19 cases, including a mandate to close all indoor dining, to slow the spread of the virus.
The penalty is more than $9,000 each day restaurants allow indoor dining. As of last week, Farm Boy had racked up at least $57,000 in fines.