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A female individual previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged law enforcement pursuit ending with her crossing the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her car key. Walters, who operates two women’s sober living homes, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“My keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was occurring,” Walters stated, noting that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the context of the traffic conditions allowing individuals to continue to remain on the highway and extend this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by authorities, as documented in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The chase finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

Walters stated on the following day that the vehicle was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” she remarked. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is replaceable.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

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

“This represents a mental health and addiction emergency,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for more support. We need greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” she added.