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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly 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 police statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who manages two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“My keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up just as it was occurring,” Walters stated, adding that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the van about 19 kilometers 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 continued into LA County. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the pursuit to the CHP once the driver entered the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling individuals to continue to remain on the freeway and prolong this pursuit,” commented a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect allegedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The chase finally arrived at the international border by 1.30pm, prompting the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

Walters indicated on the following day that the vehicle was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was working with the CHP to retrieve it.

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

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, recognizes that the path to recovery from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This is a psychological and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “We need additional assistance. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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