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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged law enforcement pursuit ending with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“The keys were stolen out of my manager’s handbag. I arrived right when it was happening,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson entered the 405 freeway heading south.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the sense of the road situation allowing individuals to persist on the highway and prolong this chase,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson reportedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the roadway by police, as documented in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The chase eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, prompting the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

Walters indicated on the following day that the vehicle was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” she remarked. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, acknowledges that the path to recovery from substance abuse and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction crisis,” she said. “We need more support. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.