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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California allegedly stole a minivan and led a prolonged law enforcement pursuit ending with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were stolen out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, noting that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the van about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

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

The suspect allegedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway 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, leading to the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner indicated on the following day that the vehicle was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” Walters remarked. “I’m relieved aware she was not injured. The car is replaceable.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

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 is a psychological and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” Walters concluded.