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A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and led a prolonged law enforcement pursuit ending with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle 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 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her car key. Walters, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was happening,” Walters stated, noting that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the stolen vehicle about 12 miles north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the pursuit continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is very unique in the sense of the road situation enabling individuals to persist on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” said a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson allegedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway by police, as documented in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

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

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

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated the recovery residence since October 2024, acknowledges that the path to recovery from substance abuse and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This is a psychological and substance abuse crisis,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for more support. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.