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A woman previously residing at a female recovery facility in California reportedly stole a minivan and engaged in a hours-long police chase ending with her traveling across the border into the nation of Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Sober Living Home

As stated in a police statement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of Los Angeles.

“The keys were stolen from my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” Walters stated, adding that the minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Several Regions

Authorities tracked the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but Wilson refused to stop 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 transferred the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is particularly unusual in the context of the road situation allowing drivers to persist on the freeway and prolong this chase,” said a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

The suspect allegedly dodged all the spike strips deployed on the roadway by authorities, as seen in footage from above.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The chase finally arrived at the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, leading to the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters stated on the following day that the vehicle was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was working with the authorities to retrieve it.

“Ultimately, I’m not concerned with the vehicle,” she said. “I’m more at ease knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has operated Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

“This represents a mental health and substance abuse crisis,” Walters emphasized. “There is a need for additional assistance. It is essential to provide greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

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