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

Vehicle Theft Reported from Sober Living Home

According to a law enforcement announcement, a second woman, Nicolle Walters, 45, notified authorities that her gray minivan from 2004 was missing, along with her car key. The owner, 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 taken out of my manager’s handbag. I happened to pull up right when it was happening,” she said, adding that the minivan is used for the sobriety home’s tasks.

High-Speed Pursuit Develops Across Multiple Counties

Officials located the van about 19 kilometers north in a nearby city, where they tried to initiate a traffic stop, but the suspect did not comply and sped away. She attained speeds of about 145km/h on the State Route 118 until the pursuit proceeded into LA County. At that juncture, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the CHP once the driver merged onto the Interstate 405 heading south.

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

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

Cross-Border Escape and Aftermath

The pursuit finally arrived at the international border by 1.30pm, prompting the highway patrol to end its pursuit due to jurisdictional constraints.

The vehicle owner stated on the following day that the vehicle was located in the Mexican city of Tijuana and that she was coordinating with the CHP to retrieve it.

“Ultimately, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” she said. “I’m more at ease aware she wasn’t hurt. The minivan is replaceable.”

Insight from the Facility Operator

The sober living home owner, who has run Diana’s House Sober Living since last October, acknowledges that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and emotional distress is often non-linear.

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

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