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A female individual formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and led a prolonged police chase ending with her crossing the border into Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

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

“My keys were taken out of my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Several Regions

Officials located the van about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson entered the Interstate 405 heading south.

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

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

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The chase eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner 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 recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” she said. “I’m more at ease knowing she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

Walters, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

“This represents a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” Walters emphasized. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” she added.