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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and led a hours-long police chase culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a police announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“The keys were stolen out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up just as it was happening,” she said, adding that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the CHP once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the context of the road situation allowing drivers to continue to remain on the highway and prolong this chase,” said a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson reportedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the road by police, as documented in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

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

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the car,” she said. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

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

“This is a mental health and addiction crisis,” 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,” Walters concluded.