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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged law enforcement pursuit ending with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a police announcement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. Walters, who manages two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“My keys were taken out of my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was happening,” she said, noting that the vehicle is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the van about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She attained 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 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is very unique in the context of the road situation enabling drivers to continue to remain on the freeway and prolong this chase,” commented a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson reportedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by police, as documented in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath

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

The vehicle owner indicated on Tuesday 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 vehicle,” Walters said. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.