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

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a police announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, named the alleged thief as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

“My keys were stolen out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was occurring,” Walters stated, noting that the minivan is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the van about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the chase proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the CHP once Wilson entered the 405 freeway heading south.

“This one is very unique in the context of the road situation enabling individuals to continue to remain on the freeway and prolong this chase,” commented a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

Wilson allegedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway by police, as seen in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

The chase finally arrived at the international border by 1.30pm, leading to the CHP to terminate the chase due to legal limitations.

The vehicle owner stated on the following day 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 concerned with the vehicle,” she said. “I’m more at ease aware she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

Walters, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since October 2024, acknowledges that the path to recovery from addiction and trauma is not always linear.

“This is a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.