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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and led a hours-long police chase ending with her crossing the border into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a police announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were taken out of my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up just as it was happening,” she said, adding that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Several Regions

Authorities located the van about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson entered the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the context of the traffic conditions allowing individuals to persist on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” commented a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the road by authorities, as seen in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

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

Walters stated on the following day that the vehicle was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the car,” Walters said. “I’m more at ease aware she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

Walters, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, acknowledges that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is not always linear.

“This represents a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “There is a need for more support. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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