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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in California allegedly took a stolen van and engaged in a hours-long police chase culminating with her traveling across the border into Mexico on the start of the week.

Auto Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a police statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, forty-five years old, reported that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her vehicle key. The owner, who operates two women’s sober living homes, named the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, located approximately an hour’s drive of Los Angeles.

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

Dramatic Chase Unfolds Across Several Regions

Officials located the van about 19 kilometers to the north in Simi Valley, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but Wilson refused to stop and sped away. She attained speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase proceeded into Los Angeles county. At that juncture, local sheriff’s deputies handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 traveling southbound.

“This one is very unique in the context of the road situation allowing drivers to persist on the highway and prolong this chase,” commented a spokesperson from the Ventura county sheriff’s office.

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

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

The pursuit eventually reached the US-Mexico border by 1.30pm, leading to the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters stated on Tuesday that the vehicle 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,” she remarked. “I’m more at ease aware she was not injured. The car is replaceable.”

Owner’s Perspective

The sober living home owner, who has operated the recovery residence since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from substance abuse and trauma is often non-linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction crisis,” Walters emphasized. “We need more support. We need greater resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“Recovery isn’t always pretty,” she added.