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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and led a prolonged police chase ending with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

According to a law enforcement statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, named the suspect as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

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

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson did not comply and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities transferred the pursuit to the CHP once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to persist on the highway and extend this pursuit,” commented a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect allegedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by police, as documented in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters stated on Tuesday that the vehicle was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was working with the authorities to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” Walters remarked. “I’m relieved aware she was not injured. The car is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, recognizes that the path to recovery from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This is 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.”

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