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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged law enforcement pursuit ending with her crossing the border into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

According to a police announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“My 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 Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver entered the 405 freeway heading south.

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

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

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

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

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” she said. “I’m relieved knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This is a psychological and substance abuse crisis,” she said. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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