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A female individual formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California allegedly took a stolen van and led a prolonged police chase ending with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

As stated in a police announcement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her car key. Walters, who manages two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“The keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I arrived just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the stolen vehicle about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the CHP once the driver entered the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the road situation enabling drivers to persist on the freeway and prolong this chase,” commented a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect reportedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the road by authorities, as documented in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath

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

Walters indicated on Tuesday that the vehicle 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 relieved knowing she was not injured. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated the recovery residence since last October, recognizes that the path to recovery from addiction and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This is a psychological and substance abuse emergency,” Walters emphasized. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” she added.