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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in the state of California reportedly took a stolen van and led a prolonged police chase culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered 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 vehicle key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” she said, noting that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the chase proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

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

The suspect reportedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The chase finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner stated on Tuesday that the minivan was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the CHP to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” she said. “I’m relieved knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is replaceable.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “There is a need for more support. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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