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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly took a stolen van and led a prolonged police chase ending with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

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 vehicle key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, identified the suspect as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

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

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Several Regions

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities transferred the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the sense of the road situation enabling drivers to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” commented a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by police, as documented in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

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

Walters stated on the following day that the minivan was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” Walters said. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run the recovery residence since last October, recognizes that the path to recovery from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

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

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” she added.