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A female individual formerly staying at a female recovery facility in California reportedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long police chase culminating with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“My keys were taken out of my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was happening,” she said, noting that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 12 miles to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the CHP once the driver entered the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the context of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to persist on the highway and extend this chase,” commented a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the road by authorities, as seen in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

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

Walters indicated on Tuesday that the minivan was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the CHP to retrieve it.

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

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run the recovery residence since last October, acknowledges that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse crisis,” she said. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” she added.