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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

According to a police statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“My keys were stolen from my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was occurring,” she said, noting that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply 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 transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver entered the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to persist on the freeway and prolong this chase,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson allegedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner indicated on Tuesday that the minivan was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the CHP to retrieve it.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” Walters said. “I’m more at ease knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

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

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

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