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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 ending with her traveling across the border into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the van about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This one is particularly unusual in the context of the road situation enabling individuals to continue to remain on the highway and prolong this chase,” said a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the road by police, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner stated on Tuesday 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 concerned with the car,” she said. “I’m more at ease aware she was not injured. The car is replaceable.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and emotional distress is not always linear.

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

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.