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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly stole a minivan and engaged in a hours-long police chase culminating with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

As stated in a police announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“The keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the chase proceeded into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the CHP once Wilson entered the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This one is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling individuals to persist on the freeway and prolong this chase,” said a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

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

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit finally arrived at the international border by 1.30pm, prompting the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

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

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters said. “I’m relieved aware 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, recognizes that the path to recovery from substance abuse and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This represents a psychological and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.