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A woman formerly staying at a female recovery facility in California reportedly stole a minivan and led a prolonged police chase culminating with her crossing the border into Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a police announcement, a another female, the owner of the vehicle, 45, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was stolen, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“My keys were taken from my house manager’s purse. I happened to pull up right when it was occurring,” she said, adding that the vehicle is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Several Regions

Officials tracked the stolen vehicle about 19 kilometers north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

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

The suspect reportedly avoided all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway by police, as documented in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The chase eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, leading to the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to legal limitations.

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

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the car,” she said. “I’m relieved aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is replaceable.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has operated 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 mental health and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “We need additional assistance. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” Walters concluded.