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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in the state of California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long law enforcement pursuit ending with her traveling across the international boundary into Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a law enforcement statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, named the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“My keys were stolen out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” she said, noting that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Several Regions

Authorities tracked the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase proceeded into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is very unique in the sense of the road situation allowing drivers to continue to remain on the highway and prolong this pursuit,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson allegedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the road by authorities, as seen in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, prompting the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters indicated on Tuesday 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 concerned with the car,” Walters said. “I’m more at ease aware she wasn’t hurt. 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 not always linear.

“This is a psychological and addiction crisis,” she said. “There is a need for more support. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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