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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly stole a minivan and engaged in a hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a police statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“My keys were stolen from my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up just as it was happening,” she said, adding that the vehicle is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the stolen vehicle about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the pursuit continued into Los Angeles county. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

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

The suspect reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the road by police, as documented in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath

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

The vehicle owner indicated on the following day 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 wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This represents a psychological and addiction crisis,” she said. “There is a need for additional assistance. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” Walters concluded.