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A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long police chase ending with her traveling across the international boundary into Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement announcement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. Walters, who operates two female recovery residences, identified the suspect as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

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

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Several Regions

Officials tracked the van about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the road situation enabling drivers 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 spike strips tossed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

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

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

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

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

“This represents a mental health and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.