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A female individual previously residing at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a hours-long police chase ending with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a police statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“My keys were stolen out of my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up right when it was occurring,” she said, adding that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the van about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, 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, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This one is very unique in the context of the traffic conditions allowing drivers 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 police, as seen in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The chase eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

Walters stated on the following day that the vehicle was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” Walters said. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

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

“This represents a psychological and substance abuse emergency,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.