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A woman previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly stole a minivan and engaged in a prolonged law enforcement pursuit culminating with her traveling across the international boundary into Mexico on Monday.

Auto Theft Discovered from Recovery Residence

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a another female, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her vehicle key. Walters, who operates two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at a recovery facility in Thousand Oaks, situated approximately 60 minutes north-west of LA.

“My keys were stolen out of my house manager’s purse. I arrived right when it was occurring,” Walters stated, noting that the minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the van about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they attempted to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and accelerated rapidly. She reached speeds of about 145km/h on the 118 freeway until the pursuit continued into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the operation to the CHP once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

“This one is very unique in the context of the road situation allowing drivers to continue to remain on the highway and prolong this pursuit,” commented a public information officer from the local law enforcement agency.

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

International Getaway and Aftermath Developments

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

Walters stated on the following day that the minivan was situated in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” Walters remarked. “I’m relieved knowing she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run the recovery residence since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and emotional distress is not always linear.

“This is a mental health and addiction crisis,” she said. “There is a need for additional assistance. It is essential to provide more resources for those that are facing challenges.”

“The recovery process isn’t always pretty,” Walters concluded.