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A female individual previously residing at a female recovery facility in California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged law enforcement pursuit culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a police statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, named the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was happening,” Walters stated, adding that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the CHP once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing individuals to persist on the highway and extend this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect allegedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the road by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, leading to the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

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

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” she said. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the path to recovery from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This represents a psychological and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “There is a need for additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are struggling.”

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