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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long police chase culminating with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

As stated in a police statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who operates two female recovery residences, 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 minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Several Regions

Authorities 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 accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the operation to the CHP once Wilson entered the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is very unique in the context of the road situation enabling individuals to continue to remain on the freeway and prolong this pursuit,” commented a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

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

International Getaway and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, prompting the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner stated on the following day that the vehicle was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the CHP to retrieve it.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters remarked. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, 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 substance abuse emergency,” she said. “We need more support. We need greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“The recovery process can be messy,” she added.