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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long police chase culminating with her crossing the border into Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were stolen out of my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” she said, adding that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Several Regions

Officials located the van about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that point, Ventura county authorities transferred the operation to the CHP once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to continue to remain on the highway and prolong this chase,” said a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by police, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, prompting the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

Walters indicated on Tuesday that the vehicle was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” Walters remarked. “I’m more at ease aware she wasn’t hurt. 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 substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

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

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