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A female individual previously residing at a female recovery facility in California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long law enforcement pursuit ending with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her car key. Walters, who operates two female recovery residences, named the suspect as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“My keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” she said, noting that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the van about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

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

Wilson reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the road by police, as documented in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, leading to the highway patrol to end its pursuit 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.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” she said. “I’m relieved knowing she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated the recovery residence since October 2024, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This represents a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “We need more support. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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