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A female individual formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly stole a minivan and led a prolonged police chase ending with her crossing the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a police statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, named the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“The keys were taken from my manager’s handbag. I arrived right when it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Several Regions

Officials tracked the van about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the operation to the CHP once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to persist on the highway and extend this chase,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the road by authorities, as seen in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The chase finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, leading to the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

Walters indicated on the following day that the vehicle was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was working with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

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

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has operated the recovery residence since October 2024, acknowledges that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is not always linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction emergency,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” Walters concluded.