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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and led a prolonged law enforcement pursuit ending with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a police announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. Walters, who operates two women’s sober living homes, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“The keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 12 miles north in Simi Valley, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is very unique in the context of the traffic conditions allowing drivers to persist on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect allegedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway by police, as documented in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner indicated on the following day that the vehicle was located 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,” she remarked. “I’m more at ease aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

“The recovery process can be messy,” Walters concluded.