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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in California reportedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long law enforcement pursuit culminating with her crossing the border into Mexico on Monday.

Vehicle Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a police statement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, named the suspect as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“My keys were taken out of my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was happening,” she said, noting that the vehicle is used for the facility’s daily operations.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the van about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions enabling individuals to persist on the highway and extend this chase,” said a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

Wilson reportedly dodged all the spike strips deployed on the road by police, as documented in footage from above.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit finally arrived at the international border by early afternoon, prompting the CHP to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters indicated on the following day that the minivan was situated 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 vehicle,” she remarked. “I’m more at ease knowing she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, acknowledges that the path to recovery from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This represents a mental health and substance abuse crisis,” she said. “We need additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” she added.