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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her traveling across the border into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a police announcement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I arrived just as it was happening,” she said, adding that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Several Regions

Officials tracked the van about 12 miles to the north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into Los Angeles county. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the CHP once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

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

The suspect allegedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by police, as documented in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The chase finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

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 was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

“This represents a mental health and addiction emergency,” Walters emphasized. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” she added.