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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a police announcement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“My keys were taken out of my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up right when it was occurring,” Walters stated, noting that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the pursuit to the CHP once the driver entered the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This one is particularly unusual in the context of the road situation enabling individuals to persist on the highway and extend this pursuit,” commented a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway by police, as documented in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

Walters stated on Tuesday that the minivan was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the CHP to retrieve it.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” she said. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The car is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is not always linear.

“This is a psychological and addiction crisis,” she said. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are struggling.”

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