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A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 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 Los Angeles.

“My keys were stolen from my manager’s handbag. I arrived right when it was happening,” Walters stated, noting that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Several Regions

Authorities tracked the van about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities transferred the operation to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the context of the road situation allowing drivers to continue to remain on the highway and prolong this chase,” said a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson allegedly avoided all the spike strips deployed on the road by police, as seen in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, leading to the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters indicated on Tuesday that the minivan was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the car,” she remarked. “I’m relieved aware she was not injured. The minivan is replaceable.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has operated the recovery residence since last October, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

“This is a psychological and addiction crisis,” she said. “There is a need for additional assistance. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.