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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her crossing the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her car key. Walters, who operates two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“My keys were taken from my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” Walters stated, noting that the minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the van about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the chase proceeded into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the CHP once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the context of the road situation enabling individuals to continue to remain on the freeway and prolong this chase,” said a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect allegedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner indicated on Tuesday that the minivan was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the authorities to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” Walters said. “I’m more at ease knowing she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is not always linear.

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

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” Walters concluded.