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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and led a prolonged police chase culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement announcement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. Walters, who manages two female recovery residences, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“The keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” Walters stated, adding that the vehicle is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Several Regions

Officials located the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

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

The suspect reportedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the road by police, as documented in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, prompting the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner stated on Tuesday that the vehicle was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

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

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This represents a mental health and addiction crisis,” she said. “There is a need for more support. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.