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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her crossing the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement announcement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“The keys were taken from my manager’s handbag. I arrived just as it was happening,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Several Regions

Officials located the van about 12 miles north in Simi Valley, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing individuals to persist on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” commented a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the road by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, prompting the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner indicated on Tuesday that the minivan was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the authorities to retrieve it.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” she said. “I’m more at ease knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is not always linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction emergency,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for additional assistance. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.