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A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged law enforcement pursuit culminating with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

According to a police statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, named the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“My keys were stolen from my manager’s handbag. I arrived right when it was happening,” she said, adding that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities 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 refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

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

The suspect reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by police, 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 legal limitations.

Walters stated on the following day that the vehicle was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the CHP to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” she said. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The minivan is replaceable.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

Walters, 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 emergency,” she said. “We need more support. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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