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A female individual formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her crossing the border into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, 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 manages two female recovery residences, 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 from my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was occurring,” she said, adding that the vehicle is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 12 miles north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect 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, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the CHP once the driver entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This one is particularly unusual in the context of the traffic conditions allowing individuals to persist on the freeway and prolong this chase,” commented a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect reportedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the road by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner 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.

“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the car,” she said. “I’m more at ease 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 journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are struggling.”

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