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A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in the state of California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a police announcement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I arrived just as it was happening,” she said, noting that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the van about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the CHP once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the road situation allowing individuals to persist on the freeway and extend this chase,” commented a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson allegedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the road by authorities, as documented in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters stated on the following day that the vehicle was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the CHP to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” she remarked. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

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

“This is a mental health and addiction emergency,” she said. “We need additional assistance. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” she added.