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A female individual formerly staying at a female recovery facility in California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a hours-long police chase culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her car key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“My keys were stolen from my manager’s handbag. I arrived right when it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Several Regions

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 12 miles north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson did not comply and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

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

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

International Getaway and Aftermath

The chase eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner indicated on Tuesday that the vehicle was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the authorities to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters said. “I’m more at ease 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, acknowledges that the path to recovery from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

“This represents a psychological and addiction emergency,” she said. “There is a need for additional assistance. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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