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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 hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a police statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

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

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the van about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the pursuit to the CHP once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing individuals to continue to remain on the highway and prolong this pursuit,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

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

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

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

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

Insight from the Facility Operator

Walters, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This represents a mental health and addiction emergency,” 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.