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A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in the state of California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a law enforcement statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“The keys were stolen out of my manager’s handbag. I arrived right when it was occurring,” she said, noting that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the van about 12 miles north in Simi Valley, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the CHP once Wilson entered the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing drivers to persist on the highway and extend this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson allegedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the road by authorities, as documented in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

Walters indicated on Tuesday that the minivan was located 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 concerned with the vehicle,” she said. “I’m more at ease aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, acknowledges that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is not always linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse crisis,” she said. “We need more support. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process can be messy,” Walters concluded.