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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a police statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“The keys were stolen from my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” she said, noting that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Several Regions

Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This one is particularly unusual in the sense of the road situation allowing individuals to continue to remain on the highway and prolong this chase,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect allegedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the roadway by police, as seen in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner indicated on Tuesday that the vehicle was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the CHP to retrieve it.

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

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, recognizes that the path to recovery from addiction and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction crisis,” she said. “There is a need for additional assistance. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

“The recovery process can be messy,” she added.