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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly took a stolen van and led a hours-long law enforcement pursuit ending with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, 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, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“The keys were stolen from my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” Walters stated, adding that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Several Regions

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the CHP once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to continue to remain on the freeway and prolong this chase,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect allegedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the road by police, as documented in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath

The pursuit finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, leading to the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

Walters stated on Tuesday that the vehicle was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters remarked. “I’m more at ease aware she was not injured. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has operated the recovery residence since last October, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This is a psychological and addiction emergency,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for additional assistance. We need greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“The recovery process can be messy,” Walters concluded.