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A female individual previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in the state of California reportedly stole a minivan and engaged in a hours-long law enforcement pursuit ending with her crossing the border into Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was stolen, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, named the suspect as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“The keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” she said, noting that the vehicle is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Several Regions

Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers to the north in a nearby city, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into Los Angeles county. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the road situation allowing individuals to continue to remain on the highway and extend this chase,” commented a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson reportedly avoided all the spike strips tossed on the road by authorities, as documented in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath

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

Walters stated on Tuesday that the vehicle was located in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was coordinating with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not concerned with the car,” she said. “I’m relieved aware she was not injured. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This represents a psychological and addiction emergency,” she said. “We need additional assistance. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

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