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A female individual previously residing at a women’s sobriety home in California reportedly 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 Reported from Sober Living Home

As stated in a law enforcement statement, a second woman, the owner of the vehicle, forty-five years old, notified authorities that her 2004 gray Toyota Sienna was missing, along with her car key. The owner, who manages two women’s sober living homes, identified the alleged thief as one of the residents at Diana’s House Sober Living, located approximately an hour’s drive of LA.

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

Dramatic Chase Develops Across Multiple Counties

Authorities located the van about 12 miles north in a nearby city, where they tried to pull the vehicle over, but the suspect refused to stop and sped away. She reached speeds of about 90mph on the 118 freeway until the chase continued into LA County. At that point, Ventura county authorities handed over the pursuit to the California highway patrol once Wilson merged onto the 405 freeway traveling southbound.

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

The suspect allegedly dodged all the spike strips tossed on the roadway by police, as documented in aerial videos.

International Getaway and Aftermath

The pursuit eventually reached the international border by early afternoon, leading to the highway patrol to terminate the chase due to jurisdictional constraints.

Walters indicated on Tuesday that the vehicle was situated in Tijuana, Mexico and that she was working with the authorities to recover the vehicle.

“At the end of the day, I’m not worried about the vehicle,” Walters said. “I’m relieved aware she was not injured. The minivan is easily substituted.”

Owner’s Perspective

Walters, who has run the recovery residence since October 2024, recognizes that the journey toward sobriety from addiction and trauma is not always linear.

“This represents a mental health and substance abuse emergency,” she said. “There is a need for additional assistance. We need more resources for those that are struggling.”

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