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A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in California allegedly stole a minivan and led a prolonged police chase culminating with her crossing the border into Mexico on Monday.

Auto 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 stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, 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 from my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” she said, adding that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Several Regions

Officials located the stolen vehicle about 12 miles to the 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 118 freeway until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities transferred the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the context of the road situation enabling individuals to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this chase,” said a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

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

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by 1.30pm, leading to the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

Walters stated on the following day that the vehicle was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” Walters remarked. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The car is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, recognizes that the path to recovery from substance abuse and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are struggling.”

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