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A female individual formerly staying at a female recovery facility in the state of California reportedly stole a minivan and engaged in a hours-long police chase ending with her traveling across the international boundary into the nation of Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, reported that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, named the suspect as Alyssa Wilson at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“My keys were stolen from my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was occurring,” she said, noting that the minivan is designated for the sobriety home’s tasks.

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Multiple Counties

Officials tracked the van about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the operation to the CHP once Wilson merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This incident is very unique in the sense of the traffic conditions allowing individuals to persist on the highway and prolong this pursuit,” said a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

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

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

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

The vehicle owner stated on the following day that the minivan was situated 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 concerned with the car,” Walters remarked. “I’m relieved knowing she wasn’t hurt. The car is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has operated the recovery residence since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is not always linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction crisis,” she said. “There is a need for more support. We need more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery can be messy,” she added.