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A female individual previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long police chase culminating with her crossing the border into Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a police announcement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. Walters, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“My keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I arrived just as it was happening,” she said, noting that the vehicle is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Several Regions

Authorities tracked the van about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

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

Wilson reportedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the road by authorities, as documented in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, prompting the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters indicated on Tuesday that the vehicle was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” she said. “I’m relieved aware she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “We need additional assistance. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.