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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long police chase ending with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement announcement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, noting that the minivan is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into Los Angeles county. At that point, Ventura county authorities transferred the operation to the CHP once the driver entered the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is particularly unusual in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing individuals to persist on the freeway and extend this chase,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

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

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The chase eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner indicated on Tuesday that the vehicle was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” Walters said. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run the recovery residence since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

“This represents a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.