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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a prolonged law enforcement pursuit culminating with her traveling across the border into Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement announcement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, named the suspect as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, 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, adding that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Several Regions

Authorities tracked the van about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities transferred the pursuit to the CHP once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to persist on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” said a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect reportedly avoided all the spike strips deployed 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, leading to the CHP to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner stated on the following day that the minivan was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” she said. “I’m more at ease knowing she was not injured. 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 substance abuse and emotional distress is not always linear.

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

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.