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A female individual formerly staying at a women’s sobriety home in California allegedly took a stolen van and led a hours-long law enforcement pursuit ending with her traveling across the border into Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Reported from Recovery Residence

According to a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, 45, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her car key. The owner, who operates two female recovery residences, named the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

“The keys were taken out of my house manager’s purse. I arrived just as it was happening,” Walters stated, adding that the vehicle is designated for the facility’s daily operations.

High-Speed Pursuit Unfolds Across Several Regions

Authorities tracked the van about 12 miles to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into Los Angeles county. At that point, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This one is very unique in the sense of the road situation allowing drivers to continue to remain on the freeway and extend this pursuit,” said a public information officer from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

The suspect allegedly dodged all the tire-deflation devices tossed on the roadway by police, as seen in aerial videos.

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath Developments

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

The vehicle owner indicated on Tuesday that the vehicle was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the CHP to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” she remarked. “I’m more at ease aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

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

“This is a mental health and substance abuse crisis,” she said. “We need more support. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

“The recovery process can be messy,” she added.