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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly took a stolen van and led a hours-long police chase ending with her traveling across the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

According to a police statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were stolen from my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was happening,” she said, adding that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into Los Angeles county. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the CHP once the driver entered the 405 freeway heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the context of the road situation enabling drivers to persist on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly dodged all the spike strips deployed on the roadway by police, as documented in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The chase eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner indicated on Tuesday that the minivan was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the CHP to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters remarked. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is not always linear.

“This represents a mental health and addiction crisis,” she said. “There is a need for more support. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” she added.