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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long police chase ending with her traveling across the border into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle 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 vehicle key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, identified the suspect as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“My keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up just as it was happening,” Walters stated, noting that the vehicle is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the van about 12 miles to the north in a nearby city, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the pursuit to the CHP once Wilson entered the 405 freeway heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the road situation enabling drivers to persist on the highway and extend this chase,” said a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson allegedly avoided all the spike strips deployed on the roadway by police, as seen in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath

The chase eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, leading to the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

Walters indicated on Tuesday that the minivan was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters said. “I’m more at ease knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

Walters, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, recognizes that the path to recovery from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This is a psychological and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process can be messy,” she added.