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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her car key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“My keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was happening,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the van about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the chase proceeded into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

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

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

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The chase eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner stated on the following day that the minivan was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters remarked. “I’m more at ease knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, acknowledges that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

“This represents a psychological and addiction emergency,” she said. “There is a need for additional assistance. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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