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A woman formerly staying 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 border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at Diana’s House Sober Living, situated approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken out of my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up right when it was occurring,” Walters stated, noting that the minivan is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the CHP once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing individuals to persist on the highway and prolong this pursuit,” commented a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

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

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by 1.30pm, leading to the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters indicated on the following day that the minivan was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the car,” Walters remarked. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

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

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