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A female individual formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly stole a minivan and led a prolonged police chase ending with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, named the suspect as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“My keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” she said, noting that the minivan is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Several Regions

Authorities tracked the van about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once the driver entered the 405 freeway heading south.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the sense of the road situation allowing drivers to continue to remain on the highway and extend this chase,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly avoided all the spike strips deployed on the road by police, as seen in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

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

The vehicle owner indicated on the following day that the minivan was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the CHP to retrieve it.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” she remarked. “I’m relieved aware she was not injured. The car is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

Walters, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and emotional distress is not always linear.

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

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” Walters concluded.