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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long police chase ending with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

According to a law enforcement statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities 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, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was happening,” Walters stated, noting that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Several Regions

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is particularly unusual in the context of the road situation enabling drivers to persist on the freeway and prolong this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

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

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

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

Walters stated on Tuesday that the minivan was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” Walters remarked. “I’m more at ease aware she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, acknowledges that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

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

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.