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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly stole a minivan and engaged in a hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a police announcement, 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 car key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, named the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken from my manager’s handbag. I arrived just as it was happening,” she said, noting that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Several Regions

Authorities tracked the van about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the chase proceeded into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities transferred the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the context of the road situation allowing drivers to continue to remain on the freeway and prolong this chase,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson reportedly avoided all the spike strips deployed on the road by police, as documented in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by 1.30pm, leading to the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters stated on Tuesday that the minivan was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the authorities to retrieve it.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” Walters said. “I’m more at ease knowing she was not injured. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

“This is a psychological and substance abuse crisis,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for additional assistance. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

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