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

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, named the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were stolen out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” Walters stated, adding that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the van about 12 miles to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing drivers to persist on the freeway and prolong this chase,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect allegedly dodged all the spike strips deployed on the road by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The chase eventually reached the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, leading to the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

Walters indicated on the following day that the vehicle was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the CHP to retrieve it.

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

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, acknowledges that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is not always linear.

“This represents a psychological and addiction emergency,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for more support. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.