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A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in California reportedly took a stolen van and led a prolonged police chase culminating with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, named the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

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

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Several Regions

Officials located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the chase proceeded into LA County. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the CHP once Wilson entered the 405 freeway heading south.

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

The suspect allegedly avoided all the spike strips deployed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, prompting the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

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

“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the car,” she remarked. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has operated the recovery residence since October 2024, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This is a psychological and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “We need more support. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” she added.