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A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged 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, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who operates two women’s sober living homes, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken from my manager’s handbag. I arrived just as it was occurring,” she said, adding that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the van about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase proceeded into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities transferred the operation to the CHP once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

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

The suspect allegedly avoided all the spike strips deployed on the roadway by authorities, as documented in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

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

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

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse crisis,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are struggling.”

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