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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a police statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. Walters, who operates two women’s sober living homes, named the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“My keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was occurring,” she said, adding that the minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Several Regions

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson did not comply and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the context of the traffic conditions allowing drivers to persist on the highway and extend this chase,” commented a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect allegedly dodged all the spike strips deployed on the road by authorities, as seen in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, leading to the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner indicated on the following day that the vehicle was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was working with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the car,” Walters said. “I’m more at ease knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, recognizes 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. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” she added.