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A female individual formerly staying at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her crossing the border into Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 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 taken from my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” Walters stated, noting that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Several Regions

Officials located the van about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities transferred the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is particularly unusual in the context of the road situation enabling individuals to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, leading to the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

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

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” Walters remarked. “I’m relieved aware she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

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

“This is a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” she added.