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A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in California allegedly stole a minivan and led a prolonged law enforcement pursuit ending with her crossing the border into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a police statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

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

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the CHP once the driver entered the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This one is particularly unusual in the sense of the road situation allowing individuals to persist on the highway and extend this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

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

International Getaway and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner stated on the following day that the minivan was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” she remarked. “I’m more at ease knowing she was not injured. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, 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 represents a mental health and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for additional assistance. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.