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

Auto Theft Discovered 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 missing, along with her car key. Walters, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“The keys were stolen out of my manager’s handbag. I arrived right when it was occurring,” she said, adding that the minivan is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the van about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the operation to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This one is very unique in the sense of the road situation allowing individuals to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” said a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the road by authorities, as documented in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath

The pursuit finally arrived at the international border by 1.30pm, prompting the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner indicated on Tuesday that the vehicle was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the car,” Walters remarked. “I’m relieved knowing she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated the recovery residence since last October, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

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

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” Walters concluded.