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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long police chase culminating with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement 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 car key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“My keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up just as it was happening,” Walters stated, adding that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Several Regions

Officials located the van about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into LA County. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the context of the traffic conditions allowing drivers to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

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

International Getaway and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters stated on Tuesday that the vehicle was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the car,” Walters said. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, recognizes that the path to recovery from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

“This is a psychological and substance abuse emergency,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for more support. We need greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” Walters concluded.