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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged police chase culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a police statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

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

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Several Regions

Officials tracked the van 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 reached speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the pursuit continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing individuals to persist on the highway and extend this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson reportedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the road by police, as seen in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath

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

Walters indicated on the following day that the vehicle was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” Walters remarked. “I’m more at ease knowing she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

Walters, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse crisis,” she said. “We need more support. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are struggling.”

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