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A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

According to a police announcement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, named the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“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 vehicle is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Several Regions

Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 12 miles to the north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply 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 juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the CHP once the driver entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is very unique in the context of the traffic conditions enabling individuals to persist on the highway and prolong this chase,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

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

International Getaway and Aftermath

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

The vehicle owner stated on Tuesday that the vehicle 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 vehicle,” Walters remarked. “I’m more at ease knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, acknowledges that the path to recovery from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “We need more support. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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