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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a police statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the suspect as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“My keys were stolen from my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was happening,” she said, adding that the minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Several Regions

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the operation to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 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 public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect allegedly dodged all the spike strips deployed on the road by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath

The chase eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase 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 working with the authorities to retrieve it.

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

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, acknowledges that the path to recovery from substance abuse and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are struggling.”

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