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A female individual previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly took a stolen van and led a hours-long police chase culminating with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, 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 alleged thief as one of the residents 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 happened to pull up just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Several Regions

Officials located the van about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the CHP once Wilson entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the context of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to persist on the highway and extend this chase,” said a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson reportedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway 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 jurisdictional constraints.

Walters indicated on Tuesday that the vehicle was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the CHP to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” Walters 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 the recovery residence since October 2024, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This is a psychological and substance abuse emergency,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for additional assistance. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.