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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long police chase culminating with her crossing the international boundary 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 another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her car key. Walters, who operates two female recovery residences, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“The keys were stolen out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was occurring,” she said, noting that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Several Regions

Officials located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing drivers to continue to remain on the highway and prolong this pursuit,” commented a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson allegedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the roadway by authorities, as documented in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The chase eventually reached the international border by 1.30pm, leading to the CHP to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

Walters indicated on the following day that the minivan was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was working with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” she said. “I’m relieved knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This represents a mental health and addiction crisis,” she said. “We need additional assistance. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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