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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and led a hours-long police chase ending with her crossing the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a police announcement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“The keys were stolen from my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, noting that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the stolen vehicle about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This one is particularly unusual in the context of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to persist on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by police, as seen in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

Walters stated on Tuesday that the minivan was situated 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 car,” she remarked. “I’m relieved knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse crisis,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process can be messy,” Walters concluded.