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

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

According to a police announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who operates two women’s sober living homes, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“My keys were stolen from my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was occurring,” she said, adding that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the CHP once Wilson entered the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the road situation enabling individuals to persist on the freeway and prolong this pursuit,” said a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson reportedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by police, as documented in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner stated on Tuesday that the vehicle was located 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 vehicle,” she remarked. “I’m more at ease aware she was not injured. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

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

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