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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 the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken from my manager’s handbag. I arrived just as it was happening,” she said, adding that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Several Regions

Officials tracked the van about 12 miles to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the CHP once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to persist on the freeway and prolong this chase,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson reportedly dodged all the spike strips deployed on the road by authorities, as documented in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

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

“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” Walters remarked. “I’m more at ease knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated the recovery residence since last October, recognizes that the path to recovery from substance abuse and emotional distress 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.”

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