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A female individual previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged police chase culminating with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

As stated in a police statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“My keys were taken from my manager’s handbag. I arrived just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, noting that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the van about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is particularly unusual in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling individuals to persist on the freeway and prolong this chase,” commented a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson reportedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the road by police, as documented in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath

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

Walters stated on the following day 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 worried about the vehicle,” she remarked. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The car is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

Walters, who has operated the recovery residence since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is not always linear.

“This represents a mental health and substance abuse crisis,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for more support. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.