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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly stole a minivan and led a hours-long police chase ending with her crossing the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

According to a police statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was happening,” she said, adding that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 12 miles north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into LA County. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is particularly unusual in the context of the road situation enabling individuals to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” commented a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by authorities, as documented in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner indicated on Tuesday that the minivan was situated 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 worried about the vehicle,” Walters said. “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 run Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and emotional distress is often non-linear.

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

“The recovery process can be messy,” she added.