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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long police chase ending with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

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. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were stolen from my manager’s handbag. I arrived right when it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 12 miles to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect 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 point, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the road situation enabling individuals to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this chase,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson allegedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the road by police, as seen in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

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

The vehicle owner stated on the following day that the vehicle was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was working with the authorities to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” she remarked. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, 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 greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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