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A woman formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her traveling across the international boundary into Mexico on the start of the week.

Vehicle Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a another female, 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 female recovery residences, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“The keys were stolen from my manager’s handbag. I arrived right when it was happening,” she said, adding that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the van 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 accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit continued into Los Angeles county. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver entered the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is particularly unusual in the sense of the road situation allowing drivers to persist on the highway and prolong 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 police, as documented in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

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

Walters indicated on Tuesday that the minivan was located 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 relieved knowing she was not injured. The car is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated the recovery residence since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is often non-linear.

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

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