🔗 Share this article

A female individual formerly staying at a female recovery facility in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long police chase ending with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who manages two female recovery residences, identified the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“The keys were taken from my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up just as it was happening,” Walters stated, noting that the minivan is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the van about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once the driver entered the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This one 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 local law enforcement agency.

The suspect allegedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath

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

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

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” she said. “I’m more at ease knowing she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has operated the recovery residence since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

“This is a psychological and addiction emergency,” she said. “There is a need for additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.