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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged law enforcement pursuit ending with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I arrived right when it was occurring,” she said, noting that the minivan is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Several Regions

Officials tracked the van about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that point, Ventura county authorities transferred the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is very unique in the context of the road situation enabling drivers to persist on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson allegedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, leading to the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

Walters stated on Tuesday that the minivan was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was working with the authorities to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters remarked. “I’m relieved aware she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

“This is a psychological and substance abuse crisis,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for more support. We need greater resources for those that are struggling.”

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