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A female individual formerly staying at a female recovery facility in California reportedly took a stolen van and led a hours-long law enforcement pursuit ending with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a police announcement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“The keys were taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was occurring,” she said, adding that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities tracked the van about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted 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 proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson entered the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling drivers to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” commented a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

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

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

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

Walters stated on Tuesday that the vehicle was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” she said. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has run the recovery residence since last October, recognizes that the path to recovery from substance abuse and emotional distress is often non-linear.

“This is a psychological and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for more support. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

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