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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in 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 Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, 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,” Walters stated, noting that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Several Regions

Officials tracked the van about 12 miles to the north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into Los Angeles county. At that point, 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 enabling drivers to persist on the highway and extend this chase,” commented a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson reportedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the road by authorities, as documented in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

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

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the car,” she remarked. “I’m more at ease aware she wasn’t hurt. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

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

“This represents a psychological and substance abuse emergency,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” Walters concluded.