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A female individual previously residing at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who operates two female recovery residences, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were stolen from my manager’s handbag. I arrived just as it was occurring,” she said, adding that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the van about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is particularly unusual in the context of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to continue to remain on the highway and prolong this pursuit,” said a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson allegedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the road by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, leading to the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

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

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” Walters remarked. “I’m more at ease knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

“This represents a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. We need greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.