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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly took a stolen van and led a hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a police statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“My keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was happening,” Walters stated, noting that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the stolen vehicle about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the CHP once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is particularly unusual in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing drivers to continue to remain on the freeway and prolong this chase,” commented a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

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

International Getaway and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by 1.30pm, leading to the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

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

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” Walters said. “I’m relieved aware she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

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

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

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” Walters concluded.