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A female individual previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California allegedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged police chase ending with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

According to a police statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who manages two female recovery residences, identified the suspect as one of the residents 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 just as it was occurring,” she said, adding that the minivan is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Several Regions

Authorities located the stolen vehicle about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the chase proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies transferred the operation to the CHP once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the sense of the road situation enabling drivers to persist on the freeway and prolong this chase,” commented a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect allegedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices deployed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by early afternoon, leading to the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

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

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” Walters remarked. “I’m more at ease knowing she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, acknowledges that the path to recovery from substance abuse and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This represents a psychological and substance abuse crisis,” she said. “We need additional assistance. We need greater resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” she added.