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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long police chase culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

According to 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. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“My keys were stolen out of my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up right when it was occurring,” Walters stated, noting that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the stolen vehicle about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the operation to the California highway patrol once the driver entered the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This one is particularly unusual in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing drivers to persist on the highway and extend this pursuit,” commented a spokesperson from the local law enforcement agency.

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

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by 1.30pm, prompting the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

Walters indicated on Tuesday that the vehicle was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was working with the CHP to retrieve it.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters said. “I’m more at ease knowing she was not injured. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This represents a psychological and substance abuse crisis,” she said. “We need more support. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process can be messy,” she added.