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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly stole a minivan and led a prolonged police chase ending with her traveling across the border into Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a police statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, notified authorities 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 suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were stolen out of my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” she said, noting that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds 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 Wilson did not comply and sped away. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson entered the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is particularly unusual in the sense of the road situation allowing drivers to persist on the highway and extend this chase,” commented a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

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

International Getaway and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, leading to the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters indicated on the following day that the vehicle was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the CHP to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” she said. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has operated the recovery residence since last October, acknowledges that the path to recovery from substance abuse and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This represents a mental health and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.