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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 led a hours-long police chase culminating with her crossing the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

As stated in a police announcement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, identified the suspect as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“My keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I arrived right when it was occurring,” she said, adding that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the stolen vehicle about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This incident is very unique in the context of the road situation enabling individuals to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this chase,” said a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect allegedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, leading to the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner indicated on the following day that the minivan was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the CHP to retrieve it.

“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” she remarked. “I’m relieved knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

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

“This represents a mental health and addiction emergency,” she said. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process can be messy,” Walters concluded.